Tag: Employment law

State of Michigan Provides Guidance on Earned Sick Time Act

With Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) set to go into effect on February 21, 2025, the Michigan Labor and Economic Opportunity Agency (LEO) has issued frequently asked questions (FAQs) indicating how the state plans to interpret the new paid sick leave law to provide guidance to employers and employees. Here are some important concepts […]

Best Practices for Employee Handbook Revisions

With the turn of the new year and various state employment laws taking effect on January 1, 2025, many employers are revising their employee handbooks. In drafting and revising employee handbooks, they’re often faced with an important decision: Should they offer a minimalistic, bare-bones handbook; a lengthy and nearly exhaustive handbook; or something in the […]

Ask the Expert: You Have Questions About Remote Work? We Have Answers!

Question: Can remote-work policies from the COVID pandemic be used against a company trying to bring employees back into the office? Answer: In certain circumstances, yes. Recently, courts have allowed juries to decide if on-site work is essential when the employer couldn’t definitively demonstrate on-site work was required or when a previous policy allowed substantial […]

Not just a benign buzzword: Setting expectations for AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a buzzword on everyone’s lips, and to quote a hit song from the 1980s, apparently, “The future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.” In other words, many are quick to sing the praises of AI and the opportunities that lie ahead. However, as AI gains more headlines and becomes more ubiquitous, […]

Know Your Rights When ICE Arrives at Your Workplace

During the first Trump administration, employers saw increased activity by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the workplace, and it looks like employers will see similar action over the next four years. The president resumed and intensified deportation efforts in his return to office. That announcement has sparked a wide range of reactions from […]

HRDA Frankly Speaking: Nicholas Kowalczyk

As we all know, the workplace is constantly evolving, and HR professionals are on the frontline. In our HR Daily Advisor’s recent webinar, “How the New Labor Secretary Will Shape HR,” we discussed critical policy shifts that will impact the HR industry in 2025 under a new administration. We asked our expert panel what are […]

U.S. Department of Labor Implements New Independent Contractor Rule

On January 10, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)published a new final rule revising its guidance on independent contractor classifications under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Effective March 11, 2024, the final rule rescinded a rule from 2021 and implemented a new test for determining whether a worker is an employee or an […]

Ask the Expert: How Should Employers Handle Unexcused Absences?

Question: How can we discipline a new employee who takes unplanned, unexcused days off for sickness, family emergencies, etc.? We don’t currently have a policy on how many unexcused days off are allowed. Answer: Wisconsin employers have an interest in ensuring employees don’t engage in misconduct, including unplanned, unexcused time off from work. Accordingly, the […]

Employee Loses ADA Lawsuit for Failing to Engage Over Alternative Accommodations

A federal appeals court in Tennessee recently upheld an order dismissing a former teacher’s disability bias lawsuit, finding his failure to engage in discussions with his employer over alternative accommodations doomed his claim. The teacher alleged the school board had unlawfully refused to let him continue working from home after the district returned to in-person […]

Make Your Feedback Concrete

We all either give or receive feedback on work performance. While we say it’s important, we don’t always treat it as important. It often devolves into barroom generalities, personality-based observations, or negative stereotypes. My eyes were opened by a very actionable article published on November 1, 2024, in the Harvard Business Review titled “High Performers […]