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Employment Law

Guess the employer: DOL settles old OT suit

08/18/2016

The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement in a decade-old overtime lawsuit—against itself. The department agreed Aug. 12 to pay $7 million to several thousand of its own employees.

How to respond when EEOC, MDHR allege discrimination

08/15/2016
The EEOC and Minnesota Department of Human Rights are the agencies primarily responsible for making sure employers comply with discrimination laws. When an applicant or employee files a discrimination charge in Minnesota, either agency or both will investigate.

DHR ruling challenges disabled hiring practices in Bloomington, Minn.

08/15/2016
A “sheltered workplace” in Bloomington, Minnesota, where disabled employees are paid pennies on the dollar may face changes following a Minnesota Department of Human Rights ruling. DHR Commissioner Kevin Lindsey found probable cause that Opportunity Partners discriminated against a disabled worker when it refused to consider him for one of its fully paid staff positions.

FMLA leave and evidence acquired after the fact

08/15/2016
Document your reason for firing an employee who is out on FMLA leave.

As 9-to-5 dies, implications for overtime grow

08/15/2016
Today, most people don’t stop working when the clock strikes 5 p.m. What’s this going to mean for how you pay them?

Yes, you can punish fraudulent FMLA leave

08/14/2016
If you are sure an employee has been misusing FMLA leave or submitting fraudulent information as part of her FMLA leave request, don’t fear punishing her.

Is comp time in lieu of overtime legal?

08/11/2016
Q. We have a team of nonexempt hourly employees who will soon be putting in significant overtime for an important project. May we compensate them for their overtime work with additional paid vacation time equal to the total accrued overtime?

Do we have leave obligations to help a potential victim of domestic violence?

08/11/2016
Q. One of our employees may be a victim of family violence. What are our legal obligations to provide leave for family violence victims under Texas and federal law?

National origin bias: Heed new EEOC rules, increased enforcement

08/11/2016
In June, the EEOC proposed new regulations concerning Title VII’s national origin provisions. National origin discrimination complaints comprise about 11% of the charges the EEOC receives each year. The new proposed EEOC regulations target job segregation, human trafficking and intersectional discrimination.

Austin Park N Pizza pays $20,000 to settle disability suit

08/11/2016
Last year, the EEOC sued Austin’s Park N Pizza amusement park, alleging it failed to accommodate a disabled employee. Now the park has settled the dispute for $20,000 and significant injunctive relief.