Friday, January 7, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding court ordered stays on two vaccine mandates. The court heard consolidated appeals on two sets of cases: the first set concerning the Medicare and Medicaid Services vaccine mandate covering healthcare workers at certain facilities, and the second regarding the Occupation Safety and Health… Read More »
Company’s Effort to Diversify Costs Man His Job
A white male hospital executive was recently awarded a $10 million payout for employment discrimination after being fired and then replaced by two women – one white, one of color – as part of his company’s diversity and inclusion program. The employee said he was terminated without warning due to the company’s efforts to diversify… Read More »
Employer Retaliation Wrongful Termination
Repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, a back injury, or other conditions that result from performing the duties of a job sometimes require medical attention and days off from work to resolve the injury. Unfortunately, an employee may experience retaliation including wrongful termination when they file a workers’ compensation claim to take care… Read More »
When Denied FMLA is the Employer’s Problem – 5 Common Mistakes
FMLA Interference Claims If you have been denied FMLA, you may have a claim for interference. Whether the employer intended to deny FMLA or not, they may still be liable for an FMLA interference claim if you can prove that you are indeed entitled to the FMLA benefit denied. The onus is on the employer… Read More »
Safety Issues at Your Company? Whistle Blowers Protected Against Employer Retaliation
Under section 11(c) of the OSH Act of 1970, employees are protected from retaliation for raising workplace health and safety concerns and reporting work-related injuries and illnesses. When an employee files a whistle blower complaint, they cannot be subjected to unfavorable employment actions, which might include employment termination, demotion, denying overtime or promotion, intimidation and… Read More »
Denied FMLA Liquidated Damages
The federal Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requires employers with at least 50 employees to grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to eligible employees for: their own or an immediate family members’ serious medical condition; to care for a newborn or newly adopted child; for any “qualifying exigency” arising from the foreign deployment… Read More »
Unemployment Benefits
Can I get Iowa unemployment benefits if I quit my job? Generally speaking, you cannot collect unemployment benefits if you quit your job, however, there are some exceptions. If you quit your job because your employer made major changes to your job, you may be eligible for benefits. These changes may include: the hours or… Read More »
Iowa Employee Rights
Labor Day 2017 delivered a gorgeous three day weekend for many who likely gave scarcely a thought to the significance of Labor Day, a holiday that offers us an opportunity to reflect on the progress American workers have made and to acknowledge the work that still needs to be done. Because of the courage and… Read More »
Documenting Workplace Harassment or Discrimination
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VII defines a hostile work environment to include situations where a person is harassed or discriminated against based on their sex, race, religion, national origin, age or disability. The law is not meant to protect against mere teasing or isolated situations that are not serious, but rather pervasive… Read More »
Employer Retaliation Lawsuit
Whistle blower laws generally protect employees who report (“or blow the whistle on”) health, safety, environmental, or other violations committed by their employers. Because employees are usually the first to recognize wrongdoing, protecting them from reprisals encourages employees to take action so that authorities can both detect and deter violations. Iowa Wrongful Termination Recently, an… Read More »