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 reporting to Bob when we… Read More
Posts Categorized In: Employment Agreements and Termination
Does the fact that an employer declared bankruptcy excuse that employer from paying unpaid wages?
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 related similar stories about being… Read More
Nurses Sue Hospitals for Unfair Employment
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 provide nurses who worked there… Read More
Negotiating Your Severance Pay
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 legal actions you may take… Read More
FMLA Protection for Part-timers?
This week the Indiana Supreme Court held that an employee f illing 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. Tom Powell taught math… Read More
Is “Boot-Up” Time Compensable?
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 should be compensated for time… Read More
New Law Expands Protection Under the ADA
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 series of decisions, however, the… Read More
Department of Labor Sues Washington Prisons for Overtime Violations
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 state violated the rights of… Read More
Non-Compete Agreements and Protecting Trade Secrets
Employers concerned about protecting trade secrets or hiring an employee from a competitor may find this article informative. Employees also may find the information useful if they are weighing their options under a non-compete agreement or if they are considering jumping ship to a competitor. This “roundtable transcript” includes comments from six different employment attorneys on… Read More
Video Interviews: Are They Legal?
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 discern things about candidates that… Read More