The explosive immigration debate has polarized Americans, but one facet of the explosive debate typically flies under the media’s radar Employers based in the United States have the legal obligation to verify employment eligibility for every prospective worker who walks through the company front door. Events over the past 20 years have dramatically altered the […]
“I didn’t deserve to get fired.” This is one of the most frequently heard quotes. We hear it from friends, family members, and occupational peers. We even hear it from ourselves, as we stare into the bathroom mirror wondering how such an accomplished professional received the proverbial pink slip. If you talked to 100 people […]
The rapid increase in the number of households where both parents worked increased substantially during the 1990s. In response to the growing number of dual-income households, the United States Congress passed the landmark Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). After about 20 years after it became law, many professionals ask their human resources managers “Do I […]
At least one time during our careers, we have sat through an excruciatingly boring employee orientation. It does not matter if you were about to become the CEO of a company or the dishwasher for a national restaurant brand. You endured several hours of legal speak. You watched videos that described sexual harassment, as well […]
Clint Reed felt he nailed the final interview for his dream job. After waiting just a couple of days, the human resources department of the company he interviewed with called to congratulate him on landing the job. There was just one small hurdle to jump over, before Clint began his dream job. “I had to […]
Health Insurance Benefits Same Sex Marriage Same sex marriage is now the law of the land. In June 2015, the United States Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in the landmark decision Obergefell v. Hodges. The Court overturned prior policy which had allowed some states to deny marriage licenses – and by default, employee spousal benefits […]
OSHA Rights and Responsibilities Employees have the right to a safe workplace free of known health and safety hazards. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the government agency in charge of setting standards, providing information and training to employees and employers, and enforcing safe-workplace laws. The primary law covering worker safety is the […]
Agencies Enforcing Federal Laws Protecting Your Rights A good source of information regarding federal laws that protect workers is the following list of federal agencies charged with the enforcement of those laws. In some cases, you can pursue resolution through these agencies instead of filing a lawsuit, and in some cases, you are required to […]
Wrongful Termination of Employment Rights and Remedies Many federal laws protect employees from wrongful termination of employment because of discrimination and retaliation. For example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits an employer with 15 or more employees from firing an employee because of the employee’s race, color, national origin, religion, gender, and sex. […]
Family and Medical Leave Act The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is designed to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take a reasonable amount of time away from work to receive medical care and to care for certain family members. In general, FMLA provides eligible employees with up […]