In Oregon employment is generally “at will” meaning that either the employer or the employee can terminate the relationship for any reason so long as the reason is not unlawful. However, Oregon also recognizes a common-law wrongful discharge claim if an employee is fired for (1) fulfilling an important public or societal duty or (2)… Read More
Employment Blog
Here you can find the most recent employment law news and commentary on cases around the country. If you need assistance with employment law, don't hesitate to call us.
Think You Know if You Are an Employee or an Independent Contractor? Think Again.
In the employment law area a great deal can turn on whether an individual is legally considered an “employee” or an “independent contractor.” Generally speaking independent contractors have fewer rights and protections than do employees, which is why the question of what category a person falls into is so crucial. Now the funny thing about… Read More
Will Portland's City Council Follow Seattle's Lead and Enact a Paid Sick Leave Ordinance?
Over five years ago San Francisco’s paid sick leave ordinance went into effect, which required employers to provide paid sick leave to all employees working within the city limits. As we discussed in another post [click here], Seattle recently followed San Francisco’s example and enacted its own paid sick leave ordinance. (In fact, Seattle’s ordinance… Read More
Seattle's New Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance – How Local Law Can Affect Employment
Whether people realize it or not a great deal of law affects their employment. There are laws affecting employment made by Congress at the federal level (e.g. Fair Labor Standards Act). There are laws affecting employment made by the Washington legislature at the state level (e.g. Washington Minimum Wage Act). And perhaps less well known… Read More
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
Oregon's Military Family Leave Act (OMFLA) – Still Not Interpreted by the Courts
Oregon enacted its Military Family Leave Act (OMFLA) in June 2009. OMFLA requires employers with 25 or more employees to provide up to 14 days of family leave per deployment to employees whose spouses are in the military when certain conditions are met. First, a “period of military conflict” must presently exist. Second, the employee… 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
Wal-Mart Employee Files Lawsuit for Employment Discrimination
Unfortunately in the workplace today, people are discriminated against for all sorts of reasons, whether this is because they are of a certain nationality, religion, weight, gender, etc. places of employment will find whatever reason to choose to not hire or promote a person. While it is never a pleasant experience to go through, any… Read More
Was Your Job Title Reclassified?
A former employee from George Washington University filed a case in federal court on behalf of all employees who recently had their job titles reclassified. This means that the University recently admitted that their employees were covered but the Fair Labor Standards Act and that the employees were eligible for overtime pay. Because the jobs… Read More
Pay Raise Discrimination: Do you Have a Lawsuit?
Did you know that you may have the right to take legal action if you are being denied a pay-raise? This is a delicate situation, so don’t rush out and hire a lawyer the first time you are denied a requested raise. Yet there are times that withholding a raise can verge on the edge… Read More