Summary of May 2025’s Labor Law Cases in Indiana Here’s a roundup of significant labor & employment law developments from Indiana in May 2025, designed for employees, HR professionals, and legal practitioners to stay informed on workplace rights. MIDWEST PSYCHOLOGICAL CENTER v. ATTERBURY JOB CORPS — Court of Appeals of Indiana
Summary of May 2025’s Labor Law Cases in Ohio This month, Ohio saw one significant labor/employment law decision from its Supreme Court. Below is a detailed summary tailored for employees, HR professionals, and legal practitioners seeking an update on Ohio labor law. State ex rel. Ruble v. Switzerland of Ohio Local
Summary of May 2025’s Labor Law Cases in Massachusetts In May 2025, one significant labor and employment law decision was issued by Massachusetts courts, touching on key topics such as job transfers, union negotiations, and collective bargaining. This monthly roundup provides HR professionals, employees, and legal practitioners with insights into
Misclassification lawsuits are among the most common labor disputes between employers and employees. Often, employees are misclassified as independent contractors for the sake of improving a company’s bottom line. The law draws a firm distinction between an independent contractor and an employee, though sometimes that line is admittedly blurry. One
Misclassification lawsuits generally involve the intentional classification of a laborer as an independent contractor as opposed to an employee. Since employees benefit from things like minimum wage and mandatory time and a half for overtime, companies that classify laborers as contractors can work around such restrictions. However, misclassification lawsuits can
Kate Brown, the Oregon Governor, signed H.B. 2005 into law on June 1, 2017. The passed law is also known as the Oregon Equal Pay Act of 2017. The law involves the restrictions that have been in place on salary history inquiries, expanding the remedies that exist for all the
While Jeff Bezos rakes in billions of dollars, employees at Amazon warehouses complain of poor compensation and dangerous working conditions. Now, one Amazon warehouse contractor has been sued by employees and forced to settle for a reported $1.9 million. The plaintiffs supplied a litany of allegations against California Cartage Co.,
The current happenings in the city of Seattle are a good example of joint employment circumstances. At the moment, there are 10 skyscrapers that are under construction, reflecting the surge of construction in the Seattle area over the past several years. This surge of construction brings legal questions regarding joint
Oregon has recently employed a predictive scheduling system to control working hours. The trade unions in Oregon have been mainly supportive of the work schedules. However, they are well aware that employers will take advantage of every loophole possible. Therefore, these trade unions have been encouraging workers to report any
Union representation at the bargaining table does not come for free. While union membership is a personal decision, paying for the unions is not optional in California. However, the United States Supreme Court may soon change that, and if it does, California will have to make some changes to the
Although an employer has some discretion to select certain employees for redundancy, they must exercise any employer action in such a way that does not break Oregon employment law. The state has laid out certain procedures that must be followed. However, there is also an expectation that the employer will
The history of non-compete laws in Colorado is one filled with drama as employers and employees struggle to protect their financial interests. Employers in certain industries spend a large amount of money recruiting, training, and employing individuals with certain valuable skill sets. Once that person is no longer an employee,
Washington State, like most states, is an at-will state with respect to labor and employment issues. This means that an employer can terminate the contract of an employee “at-will” without recourse. An employer can terminate an employee for no good cause, provided that the termination was not based on discrimination.
When Jeff Schmeling’s TB test did not make it to his supervisor by the specified due date, he was fired. The California Department of Corrections thought the termination made perfect sense. The Third District Court of Appeals disagreed. Schmeling’s Perspective Schmeling knew that employees at the prison were required to
In 2014, a Missouri trucking company unlawfully damaged a former employee’s reputation after he got medical attention for an injury sustained on the job. In 2008, the driver informed his employer that he had sustained a back injury. It was serious enough that he had to be prescribed pain medication
The current economic and political climate creates many challenges for Washington state-area farms. In many ways, these challenges are unprecedented. The economic climate of law unemployment means that Washington growers will likely have to pay higher wages or at least better conditions for workers, who are largely migrant workers who
The 8th Circuit US Court of Appeals sent a strong message to employers in 2013. The Court decided to rule in favor of undocumented immigrants who had been employed by The Jerusalem Cafe in Westport. The Court determined that regardless of the legal status or citizenship of the employees who
Social media is here, and it is not going away. The average American spends a minimum of one hour of their workday answering personal calls, emails, and of course, social media. Millenials are quoted to be even more invested, spending an average of 1.8 hours a day on social media
Organized farm labor took on Gerawan Farming in a legal battle over labor contracts, and won. A huge fruit farm conglomerate that produces fruit across the United States, Gerawan fought for the right to create a labor contract that the farmworkers’ union opposed. Previous court rulings dating back to 2002
Losing one’s job is never easy, but it is a fact of life in every economy—Nevada’s included. The unpredictability and consequence associated with job loss can be extremely detrimental to one’s welfare and future. In addition to pursuing a new line of work, one must of course deal with bills
If you have signed an agreement giving up the right to a jury trial in order to secure a contract, do you have grounds to change your mind? What if, once the work begins, you find the other party to be negligent or otherwise unsuitable as a contractual partner? You
Last month saw the end of an unusual labor strike in the apple orchards of Central Washington. 17 workers from Mexico decided to strike against their employer in the apple industry, leading to face-to-face negotiations and an eventual agreement, which brought the striking workers back to work. With negotiating help
Fans of professional sports teams have no doubt heard the phrase “collective bargaining” with respect to union contracts negotiated on behalf of the players. The purpose of collective bargaining is to come to a collective bargaining agreement, also known as a CBA. CBAs typically contain certain clauses, which have long
In spite of multiple federal laws and discrimination acts created specifically to protect pregnant women, discrimination and wrongful termination associated with pregnancy are on the rise. A study conducted by Citizens Advice found that pregnancy and maternity workplace discrimination has risen by 25%. Other pregnancy discrimination advocates believe the percentage
Many employers structure employment contracts with employees by first having a probationary period, which is often 90 days. The employer tells the prospective employee that the purpose is to determine whether the employee is a right fit for the company. That is to say, the employer explains that the probationary
There are certain professions in Oregon that are often the victims of unequal pay, low pay, and over work. The current provisions in the law are technically sufficient, but they may not be able to change the attitudes and practices of employers. Some employers are good at identifying any loopholes
For both large and small business owners, following employment law is a necessity if you want to stay in business and stay away from the steep fines you can face. This is easier said than done in certain areas where the laws are tighter and work more regulated. Oregon is
Business owners who have spent years developing a competitive formula that makes their company highly competitive may worry about former employees starting their own businesses using stolen business methods. Having employees sign a non-compete agreement prior to working with a business is one way employers protect their secrets and reduce
Employees who are first terminated from their jobs may be in such a panic that they do not consider the important question as to whether that termination was actually lawful and legitimate. The termination is a formal process that brings about certain obligations on both the employer and employee. One
Do you question the scruples of your employer? Are you suspicious that certain policies and/or actions may break state or federal laws? Are shady practices cheating competitors or other organizations out of their fair profits? If so, are you considering blowing the whistle? Such action comes with certain dangers. Some
Are you immensely qualified, yet unable to obtain a job in your field? If so, you are not alone. Systems Engineer Cheryl Fillekes claims that Google refused to hire her despite her impressive qualifications. Why? Cheryl is 47 years old. She is now part of a class action suit involving
Losing a job for reasons that contradict company policy while violating Federal law creates a scenario allowing the former employee to fight for reinstatement. Unfortunately, the personal, professional, and financial difficulties caused by a sudden termination sometimes lead to a situation where the affected party does not pursue a wrongful
Let’s imagine that an employee makes a mistake. A few days later, the employee makes the same mistake again. The supervisor calls the employee into her office and warns her that making the same mistake constantly can cause serious problems for the company. The supervisor tells the employee to double
Let’s say you are aware of a workplace hazard that causes you serious concern. You have mentioned it to your boss, but nothing happens to alleviate the problem. What choice do you have now but to go outside the company to report it to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
The state of Colorado has provided anti-discrimination protection to those seeking employment since the 1964 Federal Civil Rights Act was implemented. However, pregnant women were not included in the protections that Colorado state law established. In June of 2016, the Governor of Colorado signed a new law that became effective
It just became a bit easier to be a pregnant woman in Nevada, a sign of times that increasingly require recognition of gender-based entitlement in the workplace. As employers fully embrace the 21st Century, their responsibilities are now a bit more commensurate with the needs of workers whose obligations do
A recent Puget Sound Business Journal article details Amazon.com employees’ recent lawsuit over off-the-clock security checks. The employees have filed a federal lawsuit against Amazon for back pay for time spent each work day in security screening lines before breaks and at the end of their shifts. Because Amazon requires
The Seattle P-I recently reported that a Bellevue teacher is demanding his job back after what he calls an illegal firing. Erik Schock, an 11-year employee at Chinook Middle School, was terminated earlier this year after he arrived to work drunk. Schock, a P.E. teacher is believed to have had
The Seattle City Council was set to vote on a bill that would strengthen the city’s whistleblower protections. Although the city encourages everyone to report incidents of misconduct, the protections are specifically for city employees reporting workplace misconduct. The bill was expected to pass and make significant changes. Whistleblower Protection
A recent Seattle PI article may make you think twice before you eat out. Or, it may make you happy to know employers take health and safety standards seriously. One of Pizza Hut’s West Virginia restaurants has temporarily closed after a district manager was caught urinating into a sink. The
Recently the Seattle Times reported on a settlement between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Roy Farms. Roy Farms, one of the largest hop producers in the world, is located in Eastern Washington. The EEOC sued Roy Farms on behalf of four of Roy Farm’s male employees. In the
A few years ago, contract workers at a Nevada Amazon warehouse filed a lawsuit in federal court against Amazon and their employer, Integrity Staffing Solutions, a contractor for Amazon. The lawsuit claimed the workers were entitled to unpaid wages for time spent waiting in line for security screenings before breaks
A long-lasting employment harassment case has finally come to a close for one Louisiana man. Kerry Woods filed a harassment complaint against his former employer, Boh Bros. Construction Co., with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) nearly six years ago. According to his complaint, Woods was subjected to repeated unlawful
The Seattle PI reported recently on an industrious, if misguided, Iowa man who really wanted his candy bar. Robert McKevitt was working at a warehouse when he decided to take a break. He put a dollar in a vending machine for a candy bar. The vending machine was known to
Iowa, like Washington, has laws against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Because of these laws, Wayne Shimer, a former employee of Casey’s General Store, has employment protections and the ability to seek legal relief for his discriminatory firing. Shimer tells the Des Moines Register of the pattern of discrimination
Volkswagen auto workers in Tennessee became the center of attention last week when they prepared to vote on unionization of their factory. Unionization is usually a major deal for the workers and the employers, but it does not always receive much media coverage, particularly when the employer is not opposed
The job market continues to make its slow recovery, but finding employment even after college is still a challenge. Many college students hope having an internship on their resume will give them the extra edge they need to land a coveted job. According to a recent CNBC.com article, the benefits
A New York McDonald’s employee recently made headlines when she was fired after she generously picked up the tab for a group of working firefighters. Heather Levia is a 23 year-old mother who had worked at the restaurant chain for 8 years. During a recent shift, a group of firefighters
Under Oregon law, when a business goes under, employees still deserve to be fully compensated for all of the work they have completed. As a result, there is a specific process by which former employees may go about collecting unpaid wages if their employer closes. If such employees file a
The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld an interesting decision regarding the scope of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). FMLA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for employees for qualified reasons, without the fear of losing their jobs. Qualified reasons include serious medical conditions, birth
Seattle’s King5.com recently reported on the firing of a Broncos fan in Tacoma. Nathaniel Wentz, 17, worked for Odyssey1 until he wore his Broncos jersey to work. Employees were invited to show their team spirit if they were working on game day. Wentz, a long-time football and Broncos fan, wore
There is one word that usually fills employees across the country with dread: layoffs. When a company decides to close stores or plants, downsize, restructure, merge, or file for bankruptcy, many employees usually lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Layoffs have especially been in the news lately,
The Seattle Times recently reported on a 73-year-old Seattle man’s probation sentencing. Romulo Almeda Sr. was sentenced to probation for hiding and underpaying his live-in Filipina maid for four years. Probation seems rather lenient considering he underpaid her more than $90,000 over the four years she’s worked for him and
Karen Rispoli has her job as a Metro light-rail operator back after an arbitrator ruled in her favor. Rispoli was initially terminated from her light-rail position after failing to close the train doors and carrying passengers for two miles. King County Metro, according to a Seattle Times story, felt her
New York Fashion Week is the main event for many people in the fashion industry, from designers, to magazine reporters, to models. The week-long event involves weeks of preparation, planning, and organization. Elite Model Management, Corp. is responsible for providing a large amount of the models needed to walk in
At the start of employment, many companies want new employees to sign a non-compete agreement, also known as a covenant not to compete. A non-compete agreement is, simply put, a contract that protects an employer by prohibiting certain competition in business by employees or former employees. If an employee signs
Just days before Washington’s Governor Mike Inslee called for a minimum wage increase in his State of the State address, Seattle’s Mayor Ed Murray stated he was looking for non-ballot measure methods for raising the minimum wage for city employees to $15 an hour. These decisions come on the heels
A Wisconsin state senator is proposing legislation that will lift the state’s law prohibiting a seven-day workweek. Currently the law requires manufacturing and retail employers to give employees 24-hours rest for every seven-day period. Wisconsin is one of only a few states to have laws requiring rest periods for employees
Early in January of this year, a federal review board ordered the United States’ Postal Service (USPS) to reinstate and provide back pay for one of its former employees. There are a number of details that make this order more surprising than one would think. Two of the more shocking
Jerry Sandusky, the now infamous former assistant coach for Penn State’s football team, has requested the reinstatement of his pension from Pennsylvania’s State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS). Sandusky is currently in prison serving a 30 to 60 year sentence for child molestation. At the time of his conviction his pension
Unemployment is a safety net for those who unexpectedly lose employment or have an unexpected reduction in employment. In early December, President Obama arurged Congress to extend long-term unemployment benefits. However, when Congress passed its budget, there was no extension in long-term benefits. As a result, on December 28 the
A Chicago sub sandwich shop called Snarf’s sent an email to all 20 of its employees on December 22. The email informed the employees of Snarf’s 600 West location that the store was closing, that they were fired as of December 23, and they should turn in any keys or
Under employment laws, employers are prohibited from retaliating against employees who participate in a number of protected activities. One such protected activity is complaining about or reporting potential unlawful discrimination in the workplace. If an employee claims he or she was disciplined, demoted, or terminated for complaining of discrimination, the
A greeter, though not at Wal-Mart, was fired in Michigan for helping a customer in need. David Bowers, was working when a customer ran into the building seeking help with a car fire. As many would, Bowers grabbed a nearby fire extinguisher, ran outside, and helped put out the fire.
Unpaid interns have been in employment news regularly over the past year due to several lawsuits alleging wage and hour violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Unpaid interns, mostly in the media and entertainment industries, claimed they were misclassified and that they should have been paid a minimum
Recently in this blog, we discussed a local teacher demanding he get his job back despite the fact that he arrived to work drunk and proceeded to teach young children while he was intoxicated. His violation of the school’s drug free workplace policy seemed like a fairly straight forward, non-discriminatory
Companies, especially tech companies like Microsoft, Google, and Apple, are very protective of their trade secrets and control of their inventions. Google, for instance, has floated the idea of internet balloons drifting over Africa to provide broadband access to rural areas and it has been testing the idea in California
Snohomish County’s Medical Examiner’s Office has agreed to pay one of its former employees close to half a million dollars as a part of a workplace retaliation settlement. Shannon Impett, a former county death inspector of seven years from Granite Falls, settled outside of court earlier this week. Her lawsuit
Would you know a wrongful termination, if you saw one? Would it depend on which side of the equation you are on? What information or details could change your mind? These are some questions that arise when an employee is terminated and believes it was wrongful, especially when both sides
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows employees in the United States to take up to twelve weeks each year under certain circumstances. Leave can be used if the employee is suffering from a serious medical condition that prevents them from performing their job duties, or in order to
A recent Wall Street Journal article about the rise in litigation over non-compete agreements, noted that over the last decade there has been nearly a 60% increase in lawsuits over the breach of these agreements. While an increase could be expected since non-compete clauses have become almost commonplace in employment
Negotiating or re-negotiating contracts is an important and potentially stressful situation nearly everyone faces at some point. Recent contract negotiations between the Seattle school district and the Seattle Education Association (SEA) ended in an agreement right before a deadline that would have led to a teachers’ strike. Both sides had
In many discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, a plaintiff can only receive punitive damages if the offending behavior involved a “managing agent.” Punitive damages means additional money is awarded to the plaintiff above and beyond tangible damages, in order to try to deter future offensive conduct and reform the defendants.
The Hanford Nuclear Reservation has long been a health and environmental concern for Oregonians. Hanford is the most contaminated site in the nation, and many of the underground tanks holding nuclear waste are leaking. If the waste is not properly treated, the Columbia River and surrounding communities could be compromised.
A recent story from New York raises many employment issues that hit home in Washington. A Hamburg, New York Wal-Mart assistant manager posted an anti-Muslim comment and picture on his Facebook page that got him fired. The man claims that it started off as a joke and then it went
While the federal government has moved beyond its most recent shutdown and Hanford employees avoided getting their furlough notices, Huffington Post has reported that some 70,000 government workers filed for unemployment during the first week of the shutdown. Those who do receive the unemployment benefits will have to pay it
Imagine working 50, 60, 70 hours a week helping to construct a multimillion dollar, state-of-the-art public building one sheet of drywall at a time. Now imagine that you only receive six dollars an hour, are threatened by your employer, denied workers compensation for on the job injuries, and could be
State public policies regarding wrongful discharge claims are—literally and figuratively—all over the map. For instance, in some states, an employee can sue for wrongful discharge under contract law if he or she can show an implied contract for permanent employment and improper or arbitrary termination. Other states disallow this type
The EEOC recently announced that it is filing a sexual harassment lawsuit against Wells Fargo. The lawsuit is being brought on behalf of four former bank tellers from a Reno, Nevada branch. The former bank tellers claim that their branch manager and another employee created a hostile workplace. According to
A 53-year-old Seattle man has become one of the first to sue the state for compensation for his wrongful conviction, time served in prison, and his inability to secure long-term employment. The Seattle P-I reports that James Simmons, a former IT professional who was charged, convicted and served a year
Government whistleblowers shunned In this day and age, government employees are (and should be) increasingly hesitant to report abuses on the part of their government agency employers and superiors. In light of the growing number of highly publicized government whistleblower prosecutions, no one can blame them for their reluctance. A
A Hanford Nuclear Reservation whistleblower has lost his job. Walter Tamosaitis worked for URS Corporation for over 40 years before he was laid off a few weeks ago. In 2010, Tamosaitis raised safety concerns and was subsequently demoted from the project he was managing. Despite the demotion and even though
As previously discussed on this blog, federal laws do not protect unpaid interns from discrimination or harassment because they do not fit the law’s definition of an “employee.” However, states may choose to adopt laws that extend workplace protections to unpaid interns, which allow them to hold companies accountable for
A medical physicist has filed a lawsuit against the hospital where he formerly worked, claiming that he was wrongfully terminated in retaliation for reporting safety concerns to federal authorities. According to an article from the Seattle P-I, former employee Lawrence Slate claimed that he faced retaliation after he reported concerns
An employee at a Starbucks in downtown Seattle was fired for taking a wrapped breakfast sandwich out of the trash can after a coworker had thrown it away, according to Q13FOX.com and The Stranger. The employee, Coulson Loptmann, who was unable to work enough hours to pay his bills and
A High-Profile Topic Whistleblowing has been a hot topic in the news in the past year, since the Wikileaks case, and the conviction of Chelsea E. Manning. However, there are many more lower-profilewhistleblower retaliation cases that pop up in the news, highlighting the plight many employees face when they decide
Washington law protects an employer’s confidential business information from being stolen or wrongfully disclosed. The Washington Uniform Trade Secrets Act prohibits the misappropriation of trade secrets and provides remedies to businesses whose trade secrets have been wrongfully acquired or disclosed. It is important for employers to understand the Trade Secrets
Most undergrads and graduate students face an uphill battle, even after graduation. With the job market less than welcoming, and a constant barrage of mentors and advisors preaching morosely on the employment climate, grads often feel that they must sacrifice pay, or their dreams, in their first jobs. An internship
Everyone has bad days at work. Most people have coworkers who may be annoying, undermining, and even occasionally name-call in the workplace. Numerous employees believe their bosses are ‘mean’ or on power trips. Almost everyone has days during which the annoyances at work reach a point where they want to
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (“L&I”) claims that a co-owner of a restaurant in Spokane fraudulently claimed almost $250,000 in workers’ compensation benefits. Wanitta Racicot, who co-owns the Broadway Bar & Grill, claimed that she suffered work-related injuries in 2001 that made her unable to work in
As the wealth disparity between rich and poor continues to grow in the United States, the minimum wage has been the subject of much debate. Critics contend that the minimum wage does not provide a living wage, while supporters point to market forces and increasing globalization as a reason to
Discrimination in the workplace based solely on an employee’s disability is against both federal and state law. Any company within the state of Oregon that has six or more employees must comply with Oregon Revised Statutes 659A.100-145, which regulate the civil rights of disabled persons and prohibit discrimination against disabled
Whistleblowers who expose government fraud under the federal False Claims Act (“FCA”) stand to receive awards from the government that can total millions of dollars. As we recently discussed, a former employee of a Tacoma medical provider received an award of $2.7 million from his whistleblower action, also known as
Seattle-based company Amazon is facing a lawsuit from a former employee who is fighting an employment agreement that gave the company ownership of his invention and included a noncompetition clause. According to GeekWire, Amazon recently gave the employee the rights to his patent, but it did not agree to stop
Many newly-hired employees receive a handbook that can cover everything from dress code and leave policies to employees’ rights under Washington law. Employee handbooks can be an effective way for employers to communicate their workplace policies. However, they also can cause legal issues for both employers and employees. One of
Paying employees with payroll debit cards has become increasingly common in states like Washington that allow this method. However, while these cards can be convenient, they can carry burdensome fees for employees and potential legal pitfalls for employers. For example, Seattle-based KING 5 News reports that a McDonald’s employee has
The job of the Oregon Office of Emergency Management is to help leaders at both the state and local levels prepare for and respond to natural disasters and other types of emergencies. The biggest crisis the office has had to deal with in the last few months, however, is a
As anyone who has worked in a restaurant knows, tips can be a huge source of stress among the staff. Since many servers are not paid a very generous base rate, they rely on tips as their primary source of income; as such, worries and frustrations surrounding poor tippers run
A high score is good and a low score is bad. That sums up the basic idea behind your three digit credit score. And unless you are applying for a house or a new credit card, your credit score number is your business. That may be your thought process, but
In 2007, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office informed Alan Hull, then the fire chief at the Estacada Rural Fire District, that one of his employees had embezzled $1.9 million from the district. The Sheriff’s Office then asked Mr. Hull to go undercover and gather evidence of this employee’s wrongdoing, which
Washington workplace tests are not as uncommon as you may think. In addition to testing potential employees to test certain capabilities as a prerequisite for a job, Washington employers may also test existing employees to ensure that skills stay sharp or as a condition on a promotion. What most of
Do you have a criminal history you wish you never had? Depending on when and what you did, you may have to answer for those crimes on employment and housing applications for a long time. And that reality begs the question: can Washington employers use your criminal past against you
Sports coaches at universities across the United States provoke strong reactions among fans of collegiate athletics. Especially for coaches of the top collegiate teams, there are few lukewarm feelings, and the coaches are often at the center of controversy for their choices both on and off the field or court.
The beautiful city of Seattle was recently ranked the 6th best major city for finding a job. Seattle was the lone West Coast city on the list that looked at factors such as: diversity of industry, range in size of companies offering employment and cost of living. The Seattle Times
The stereotypical idea of a labor dispute often involves blue-collar workers, such as factory employees or agricultural laborers. The truth, however, is that struggles for employment rights occur in varying contexts and at many different socioeconomic levels. A perfect example of this is the fact that one of the biggest
Every day employees throughout Washington are forced to fight to ensure that they receive the full scope of wages to which they are entitled. Unfortunately, many employers try to skirt the law and employment contracts, particularly when it comes to more confusing aspects of payment requirements, like overtime pay or
Whether you have to wear a full suit and tie to work or simply have to keep your shoes on, workplace dress codes are common in Washington and throughout the rest of the country. Some Washington companies do it for the sake of professional uniformity, some do it for safety
As the United States’ involvement in overseas military conflicts has continued for over ten years, military service members continue to require help in adjusting to life back at home. Aside from dealing with the physical and emotional scars of war, veterans often also have trouble finding civilian employment when they
An airline pilot fails his company’s random drug test and admits to using marijuana. His airline fires him. That seems simple enough, doesn’t it? The struggle between a Seattle-area pilot and airline company has recently shown that employment law is not always quite as simple as you might think. A
Who would think a YouTube video entitled “Thanks Safeway” could lead to troubles? It sounds like a positive, grateful and potentially boring video. However in this case it may not be any of those things, since it led to the posters suspension. The Video According to an NBCChicago.com story, Steve
The economy is slowly returning, but even though more jobs are being created and unemployment is dropping, there are still many seeking work that will allow them to support themselves and their families. A recent report on a Univision program looked at the situation, and often plight, of job seekers.
From online shopping to reviews directing customers to or away from a business, the internet and social media are becoming more important to businesses every day. Argo Tea, an international tea and coffee seller whose online store sells directly through Amazon, decided to take social media to a new level
Hopefully very few of us know the feeling of arriving for our first day on the job only to find that things at our new workplace are not exactly how we expected them to be. After all, we know what we were promised and this isn’t it! Why are we
We all know it’s tough out there in the economy today. Just the other day we ran across a posting to a forum in which a very anxious fellow was asking how he could get money he’s owed from a former employer who’s now going through bankruptcy. Other forum members
According to the Beckers Hospital Review, about 16,000 nurses in the state of Washington have filed lawsuits against four hospitals that don’t treat their employees with the respect that they need to. The lawsuits were filed through the Washington State Nurses Association. According to the paperwork, the hospitals would not
If you have recently been terminated from your job or workplace, you may have been offered severance pay by your former employer. While many people think severance pay is a reward for their hard work, it is more often offered because an employer is seeking to protect the firm from
This week the Indiana Supreme Court held that an employee filling multiple positions with the same employer is eligible for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act if that employee’s total service is sufficient to qualify – even if service in either position alone does not qualify.
Have you ever been frustrated by the length of time it takes for your computer to boot up? In light of recent lawsuits, some employers may be, as well. According to an article in the National Law Journal there has been a recent surge in litigation over whether employees
With his father looking on, President George W. Bush today signed into law a bill expanding protection under the Americans With Disabilities Act. The ADA was originally signed into law by the first President Bush in 1990, and he considered the law one of his proudest accomplishments. In a
The Washington State Department of Corrections has been sued by the U.S. Department of Labor for widespread violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. According to published reports, the damages in the case will likely be millions of dollars. After a three-year investigation, the Department of Labor believes that the
Internet technology now makes it possible to interview an employee “in-person” anywhere in the world. The benefit to employers is obvious. No longer do employers need to pay expensive travel expenses to facilitate an in-person interview. At the same time, by viewing a candidate on video, the employer can readily
Here is an article about an interesting case filed recently in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington. A counselor for a mental health agency alleges he was fired because of testimony he gave on the witness stand in a domestic violence case. A copy of
The Ohio Employer’s Law Blog reports today about an interesting case from the Ohio Supreme Court. The case concerns alleged defamatory statements in an internal investigation report about a police chief. The police chief sued for defamation after the report was made public. The Ohio Supreme Court decided that there
A recent decision by the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals demonstrates that an employer can be liable for overtime pay even if employees have been forbidden to work overtime. The case is Chao v. Gotham Registry, Inc. and can be read here. The court examined whether an employer must pay
Here is an interesting article in today’s Chicago Tribune about the proliferation of non-compete agreements. I thought this was a good opportunity to say a few words here about non-compete agreements. As the article observes, more and more employers are using non-compete agreements for more and more employees, but the
The plaintiffs in this wage and hour class action challenged a practice whereby overtime earned during one month would be paid at the end the following month. In this case, corrections officers in Thurston County would submit time sheets for overtime at the end of the month and the wages
In addition to the MetLife case reported below, the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear several employment law issues this term. Look for more information as these rulings are handed down. Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and CBOCS West Inc. v. Humphries The court will address the scope
