The Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it raised the minimum wage for federal contract workers to $15.00 per hour on Jan. 30, 2022 – an average increase for workers of $5,228 a year. That means construction workers, childcare, health…
Employment Law
There's always going to be some conflicts at work. And when an employee criticizes their supervisor, things can get sticky. One employee didn't like how their supervisor did their job. When the employee complained, they were reprimanded and later fired.…
A job candidate looks great on paper. That doesn't mean you have to take them -- but you better be ready to have a good explanation if they claim illegal bias. A 66-year-old former justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court…
Back in 2020, the Supreme Court ruled that sex discrimination protections under the Civil Rights Act extended to sexual orientation and gender identity. And a recent district court ruling reiterated that. Here's a breakdown of the case. Purposely misgendering Vivian…
Benefits pros need to keep an eye on the federal minimum wage in your area to maintain a competitive compensation plan. Thanks to the pandemic, the focus on federal minimum wage has increased. As we’ve said in previous posts, employees…
There was evidence to support both sides. Here's why the scales tipped in favor of an employee seeking long-term disability benefits. A maintenance supervisor had long-term disability insurance. His employer provided the insurance. The policy provided two years of benefits…
Workers' compensation or not? A worker suffered serious injuries when a dead tree fell near a portable restroom he was using. The worker had been painting the exterior of a house, and it was a windy day. His employer did…
In what may be the first of many similar suits to follow, a group of workers from the candle factory that was leveled by a devastating Kentucky tornado have sued their employer. The group says the employer illegally subjected the…
It’s common sense, really: Employers accused of taking action against an employee for an illegal reason must be prepared to say what the real reason was – and that it was perfectly legitimate. In a typical case, articulating a nondiscriminatory…
It may seem like firing a poorly performing employee would be cut and dried. But when that employee belongs to a protected class and feels they were discriminated against, things get tricky. One company recently landed in court because of…
Showing a preference for younger employees can violate the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) and land a company in court -- something coffee giant Starbucks is facing right now. A nationwide class action lawsuit has been filed, claiming the…
What do you think: If news gets out that a new employee was once a man but is now a woman, are co-workers likely to hassle her? An Illinois federal judge said yes. The judge refused to dismiss her claims…
A new ruling from a federal appeals court favors employers who seek to steer employees toward arbitration and away from a courtroom in the event of an employment-related claim or dispute. The ruling makes it relatively easy for employers within…
With OSHA's emergency temporary standard (ETS) in place and going into effect in Jan. 2022, many employees have begun to push back against the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Most recently, a religious group petitioned the 5th Circuit to put a stop…
Every employer knows that firing an employee who makes discrimination complaints can lead to a retaliation lawsuit. But what happens when the employee is fired for how they made the complaints, and not for making them? A court addressed this…
The EEOC has issued new guidance addressing religious objections to workplace COVID-19 vaccination requirements. This updated EEOC guidance discusses the interplay between vaccine requirements and Title VII. Title VII applies to employers with at least 15 employees. It does not…
