In 2014, a Minnesota demographic survey conducted on State employees showed that less than 4% self-identified as having a disability. When compared to the presence of employees with a disability statewide and nationwide, 7.9% and 10.5% respectively, it was evident that the State’s workforce did not reflect the diversity of Minnesota’s population of individuals with …
As the world faces the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak, it is important to know the laws that protect employees impacted by the virus. Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act into law.[1] Effective April 1, 2020, eligible employees are permitted to seek up to …
Continue reading “New Federal Law Protections for Employees During The COVID-19 Pandemic”
Did you know that Minnesota law protects employees who are quarantined or in isolation due to COVID-19? Under Minnesota law,[1] an employer cannot terminate, discipline, threaten, or penalize an employee because the employee is (or has been) in isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19 (or another communicable disease) for up to 21 consecutive workdays.
International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8th, is a time to reflect on the progress made for women over the last 100 years and celebrate their courageous acts throughout history.[1] It is also a time to call for continued change. The Continued Uneven Playing Field Despite the movement to propel women’s opportunities, corporate America continues …
Continue reading “International Women’s Day – A Call for Change!”
Older workers are one significant step closer to enjoying the same federal protections as other protected classes after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protecting Older Workers Against Discrimination Act (“POWADA”) on January 15, 2020. The Bill, if enacted, would amend the standard for employees alleging discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, …
Applying for a job can be the ultimate test of one’s confidence, especially in light of a new study which found that employment interviews are more often given to candidates with current jobs or who were recently laid off, as opposed to those candidates who had been unemployed more than 26 weeks. In fact, many …
Continue reading “DISCRIMINATION CAN MAKE JOB-HUNTING IN MINNESOTA IMPOSSIBLE”
We often write about the more common protections for employees in Minnesota, such as protections against discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation for reporting law violations (i.e. whistle blowers), and protections for employees who take medical leave. But, did you know that Minnesota also provides lesser-known protections to employees? For example, Minnesota law allows employees to take …
What rights does an employee have when jury duty calls? This is a common question many Minnesotan employees have as they followed the media’s coverage of the high-profile case of Mohamed Noor, a police officer on trial for shooting Justine Ruszczyk (Damond) after she reported a crime being committed near her home. The trial started …
Continue reading “Employee’s Rights When Summoned For Jury Duty”
Employee misclassification has become a huge problem in the United States. Employers who want to increase profits by not paying withholding and other taxes and escaping liability for workers’ compensation and unemployment claims will often claim that their workers are ‘independent contractors’ or ‘consultants’ (ICs), even though these people perform jobs that go to the …
You’ve just been fired, or you suspect you’re about to be fired. And you think that your termination may be for an illegal reason (e.g., discrimination, retaliation, blowing the whistle). Now what? 1. Do Not Quit / Do Not Sign Anything. Most workers who suspect termination is imminent often believe it is better to quit …
