Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A number of incidents have surfaced recently in which neighbors or passers-by have called police to report African Americans engaging in seemingly ordinary pursuits. Examples include calls to investigate a college student napping on a couch in her dorm, some friends grilling in a public park, and an 8-year-old girl selling bottled water in front […]
The 8th Circuit—which covers Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota—recently heard a claim for constructive discharge based on a hostile work environment, gender discrimination, and age discrimination. Did the employee have a viable claim?
Question: We currently have 3 pregnant employees. One lives and works in Minnesota, where we have 4 employees, and the other two live and work in Georgia, where we have 40 employees. We are not covered by FMLA and have a personal leave policy that provides up to 8 weeks of unpaid leave. My questions […]
A male scientist allegedly expressed his interest in having a sexual relationship with a female graduate student on numerous occasions while mentoring her on remote research excursions deep in the woods of Alaska. The student later sued him and the university where she was pursuing a doctorate degree, alleging hostile work environment.
An employee’s duties can be more important that her job title when it comes to equal pay claims, a recent settlement agreement illustrates.
by Laurie Jirak Distribution of medical marijuana in Minnesota is set to begin July 1, so employers need to understand their rights and responsibilities under the state’s new medical marijuana law. Confusion may arise because employers are subject to both federal and state laws that may impose different standards or requirements on workplace medical marijuana […]
by Richard R. Voelbel Minnesota’s new “ban the box” law takes effect January 1, meaning private employers will be prohibited from inquiring about a job candidate’s criminal background until after the candidate has been selected for an interview or has received a conditional offer of employment. Public employers already have been prohibited from including a […]
by Michael G. McNally The Minnesota Marriage Equality Bill, HF 1054, was signed into law by Governor Mark Dayton on May 14, 2013. Effective August 1, 2013, Minnesota will allow individuals of the same sex to marry. Employers need to review their policies relating to employee health and retirement benefits to reflect this change. What […]
by Tammy Binford The September 28 shootings that killed six at a Minneapolis business put employers on notice that workplace violence can occur with no warning. Other times, though, there are signs that employers should heed. The October issue of Minnesota Employment Law Letter contains an article titled “Employers look anew at preventing violence in […]
by Dennis J. Merley The “will he or won’t he” retirement saga of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has been a source of speculation and a modest degree of amusement in the sports world. His more recent “did he or didn’t he” events, however, raise serious issues that HR professionals and employment lawyers know all […]