Category: BLOG
Employees Take a Stand – Paying Not to Play: Severance Agreements and Signing Away Your Legal Rights for a Final Paycheck
It’s Friday morning. As usual, you show up to the office, grab a coffee from the break room, and fire up the computer to begin your day. It’s been a long week but who cares – the weekend is in clear view and the cabin is calling. Then, your boss pays you an unexpected visit …
Employees Take a Stand – Your Right to Medical Leave: The FMLA & MPLA
Life can change in a flash. Things are moving along and suddenly your child is in a serious accident, or you are diagnosed with an illness that requires extensive treatment. What do you do about your job? If you have worked for your employer longer than a year, you may have the right to take …
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Employees Take a Stand – Is Anxiety a Disability?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) prohibit employers from discriminating against employees (or potential employees)with disabilities. In fact, these laws require employers to accommodate disabled employees if that will make it possible for the employee to continue working and does not create hardship for the employer. Under the …
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Whistleblowers Take a Stand – Can Misleading Statements by For-Profit Schools Create Liability Under the False Claims Act?
In the past several years For-Profit Colleges and Universities have been under intense scrutiny by both state and federal agencies for claims that they mislead prospective students about placement rates, starting salaries, and credit transfer. Students often obtain federally insured student loans and grants to attend these schools. In fact, the Department of Education has …
Legislature Updates Minnesota False Claims Act – Expands Time to File Whistleblower Claim and Persons Covered by the Act
On April 22, 2013, Governor Dayton signed HF 290 into law, which modified Minnesota’s False Claims Act found at Minn. Stat. § 15C. The bill primarily changed the statute so that it would reward and facilitate False Claims Act cases at least as effectively as the federal law. By making these changes Minnesota should be …
Minnesota Strengthens Whistleblower Protections
Greater protections for Minnesota whistleblowers became a reality on May 24, 2013, when Governor Dayton signed HF542, which enhanced Minnesota’s Whistleblower Act, Minn. Stat. §181.932. The Act prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who report violations of statutes or regulations, or refuse to engage in conduct that violates the law. The legislative changes increase whistleblower …
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NBA CENTER AND FORMER TIMBERWOLVES PLAYER ANNOUNCES HE IS GAY
Societal attitudes seem to be changing regarding sexual orientation discrimination. For example, the recent defeat of the proposed state marriage amendment confirmed that a majority of Minnesota voters do not believe that a prohibition against same-sex marriage should be codified as a state constitutional amendment. However, many civil rights advocates might agree that more action is required. …
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Is It Legal to Be Fired for Selling Girl Scout Cookies?
The sale of Girl Scout cookies has become a national institution. Just like the return of Minnesota Twins baseball, blooming flowers, and March Madness, offerings of Tagalongs, Thin Mints and Dosidos are very common during spring. Those who are reading this post have probably purchased a box from young scouts strategically positioned outside a grocery …
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MINNESOTA PROFESSOR ALLEGES WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION
A professor at Macalester College is suing her employer, alleging gender discrimination, as well as race and national origin discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. The woman is currently a full professor with tenure at the college, teaching creative writing in its English department. However, the professor claims that she was wrongfully denied several promotions …
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MINNESOTA STATE AGENCY HAS BACKLOG OF DISCRIMINATION CASES
Minnesota workers are entitled to employment protections under both federal and state laws. In many aspects of employment law, Minnesota is a progressive state, with state laws offering additional prohibitions against certain types of workplace discrimination. The distinction between federal and state laws can be of minimal importance to employees who simply benefit from whichever …
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