Archive for 2017
Proposed Religious Freedom Act May Open Doors To Discrimination
A draft executive order proposed by the White House seeking to “Respect Religious Freedom” would provide sweeping protections to those who discriminate. While federal law under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees from religious discrimination, the executive order would allow those same employers to use religion to discriminate against others –…
Read MoreWage and hour laws may be affected by changes at local level
With the federal overtime law on hold, many wonder how their rights to overtime pay and minimum wages will be affected. While what the federal government will do remains to be seen, most believe that the new rule which would have raised the salary threshold for being labelled exempt (and thus unable to earn overtime…
Read MoreLegal Protections Against Workplace Discrimination
Just because it’s illegal to engage in workplace discrimination doesn’t mean the problem doesn’t exist. In fact, it’s prevalent in workplaces throughout Georgia, across the nation, and globally. While it’s true that, historically, we’ve made significant strides when it comes to protections against workplace discrimination, the battle isn’t over. We must continue upholding the laws…
Read MoreFederal Discrimination Lawsuit Filed Against Oracle
A recent lawsuit filed by the Department of Labor against tech giant Oracle reveals the complexity of discrimination. In the race discrimination case, the DOL asserts that Oracles hiring pool was both over-represented by Asians, and thus discriminated against other ethnic groups (such as African-Americans and Hispanics) but also underpaid them relative to white workers. The…
Read MoreWhat Is Employment Verification Discrimination?
A new law is set to take effect on January 18, 2017 which will help end employment verification discrimination. Employment verification discrimination occurs when a worker is treated differently when beginning a new job. For example, if an employer requests certain documents from a new employee based on his or her perceived national origin or…
Read MoreTop Wage and Hour Concerns for 2017
Over the last several years, wage inequality and wage stagnation has been a drag on the economy. While the FLSA was enacted to provide workers certain protections, employers have not always abided by these protections. David Weil, the outgoing administrator of the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division, has focused on enforcing these provisions, resulting…
Read MoreFinal Determination Concerning Overtime Law Nears
In November, just days before the new overtime law was set to become effective, a federal district judge from Texas, Judge Amos Mazzant, issued a preliminary injunction blocking the law from implementation. The Labor Department rule would have doubled the salary level at which hourly workers must be paid extra for overtime pay, from $23,660…
Read MoreDoes your work place discriminate?
With the new year, many employees evaluate their current employment situation and New Year’s resolutions may include getting a new job or moving up within their current workplace. One of the factors that may influence whether you decide to seek a new job or receive a promotion is whether you have been subject to discrimination. Some…
Read MoreProtection From Workplace Discrimination Varies From State to State
A recent poll performed by the job search company Monster evaluated how well each state in the country does in protecting workers’ rights. The poll took into account 5 key areas of federal workplace protections. These included: 1) Discrimination based on gender identity as provided by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964…
Read MoreMillions of low-wage earners to get a raise in 2017
The nation’s lowest paid workers in 19 states will be getting a pay raise come 2017. Numerous states across the country will be raising their minimum wage after the new year. In Missouri and Washington, the minimum wage will be adjusted to $11/hour, the highest state minimum wage. Other states set to increase their minimum…
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