Archive for 2017
Will Religious Freedom Order Allow Businesses to Discriminate?
President Trump has just signed an executive order that may allow businesses to discriminate. Called the “Religious Freedom” order, the order makes it okay for business owners to refuse to sell goods and services to people based on their “religious faith.” This controversial measure would allow businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ+ groups, who in the past…
Read MoreNew Bill May Encourage Employees to Take Paid Time Off Instead of Receiving Overtime Pay
Congress has just passed a bill that would give non-exempt employees the options of choosing to receive either overtime compensation, paid at the rate of one and one-half an employee’s standard rate of pay or to allow those employees to use the time as paid time off. Called the Working Families Flexibility Act, the bill…
Read MoreFox News Faces Racial Discrimination Charges
More employees have now joined a previously filed racial lawsuit against the Fox News Network arising out of actions at a New York station. According to reports, an executive at the station frequently used racial slurs and insults. She also allegedly forced black female workers to arm wrestle white co-workers for entertainment. The lawsuit also…
Read MoreDepartment of Justice Requests Delay Until June For Overtime Rule
Employment news reports that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has requested that the final determination concerning the implementation of the new overtime rule be delayed until the end of June. Now, the DOJ will have until June 30, 2017 to file its brief concerning the rule. The new overtime provisions would raise the salary threshold pursuant…
Read MoreDisney to Pay Millions in Wage and Hour Dispute
According to reports, the Walt Disney Company has agreed to settle a wage and hour lawsuit for $3.8 Million. The FLSA lawsuit was brought by the federal government on behalf of hotel and time share resort workers alleging that the company violated numerous provisions, including failing to pay minimum wage, overtime compensation, and improper record…
Read MoreCNN Faces Race Discrimination Claims
Employment law news reports that a race discrimination lawsuit has been filed against CNN in a Georgia federal court. According to the lawsuit, the media giant has engaged in both racially discriminatory and harassing behaviors. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits race discrimination. This includes taking race into consideration when making…
Read MoreLandmark Decision Finds Title VII Sex Discrimination Protection Extends to Sexual Orientation
In a victory for those fighting against employment discrimination, on April 4th the Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit held that sex discrimination prohibited by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 includes discrimination based on sexual orientation. The 7th Circuit is the first federal appellate court to make this determination. Initially, the…
Read MoreImplementation of Proposed Overtime Rule Varies Amongst Employers
As many are aware, the Department of Labor established new rules concerning overtime pay exemptions, which were set to take effect on December 1, 2016. However a Texas judge granted a temporary injunction stopping the rules from taking place. Nonetheless, many businesses had already taken steps to adjust to the new rules, and were left…
Read MoreNumber of Wage and Hour Lawsuits Continue to Climb
The number of wage and hour claims filed over the last several years has significantly increased. The majority of these claims have concerned the improper classification of employees – whether identifying a non-exempt employee as exempt (thereby denying an employee of deserved overtime), or classifying an employee as an independent contractor (thereby denying a worker…
Read MoreAm I entitled to pay if my office closes unexpectedly?
If your employer closes the office unexpectedly – such as when bad weather, threatens, there’s a power outage, or your server is down – are you entitled to be paid? This depends in part on how you are classified – as exempt vs. non-exempt. If you are non-exempt, then your employer does not need to…
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