Recently, an appeals court ruled that job applicants are protected against workplace discrimination based on age – not just current employees. The decision signals a victory to older job seekers who have are often overlooked as candidates simply because of their age. The ruling stems from a case, Kieber V. CareFusion, involving an attorney, Kieber,… Read More »
Independent Contractor or Employee in a Gig Economy?
With so many people finding work opportunities in the gig economy, there may be some questions regarding their classification – employee or independent contractor? The distinction boils down to an employer’s obligation to provide workers’ compensation, unemployment, overtime and other work benefits to an ’employee’ which are not extended to an independent contractor. Already there… Read More »
Fear of Retaliation – Unreported Work Injuries
A complaint about employer retaliation posted on the Des Moines Register’s Readers Watchdog in November has shaken things up at Des Moines Public Works. The tip posted by an unnamed employee said workers were not reporting on-the-job injuries for fear of being ‘written up’ prompting an investigation by Iowa OSHA. Research reveals that work place… Read More »
Employer Retaliation & Wrongful Termination
The Waukee Community School District and its chief operating officer have come under fire for wrongful termination and violating the state’s whistle blower statute. In a lawsuit filed earlier this week, a former administrative assistant alleges that she was forced from her job after reporting her supervisor’s misconduct. More specifically, she alleges that her boss… Read More »
Denied FMLA
The federal Family Medical Leave Act and similar state laws are designed to help employees balance their work and family responsibilities by allowing them to take reasonable time off. Under federal FMLA eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of leave for serious health conditions, bonding with a new child, exigencies related to a… Read More »
Iowa Workers Victims of Stolen Wages
A recent study by the Progressive States Network gave Iowa and 43 other states failing grades for the few state laws they have in place to comprehensively address the increasing national crime of wage theft. As the name implies, wage theft denies employees compensation for work performed. There are various types of wage theft such… Read More »
Employee Pregnancy Discrimination Settlement
In another case of sex based discrimination, damages will be paid to eight women employed by the Chicago Public Schools who claimed they were victims of pregnancy discrimination. The government alleged last year that pregnant teachers at a Chicago elementary school received lowered performance ratings and were targeted for firing by their principal. The principle… Read More »
Iowa Home Caregivers Eligible for Minimum Wage and Overtime Pay
With the aging baby boomer generation, there is an increasing demand for home health care workers for the elderly, chronically ill and the disabled. Currently there are approximately 2 million home care workers with another 1 million expected to join the workforce by 2022. Historically, home health care has been one of the lowest paid… Read More »
Harassed After Taking Time Off From Work?
Sometimes employees must take time off from work to attend to personal matters. This could include a medical issue or another situation relating to you, a close family member or child. When the time comes for you to ask your employer for leave, you might worry that your employer will resent your need to take… Read More »
Not Hired Because of Prescription Drug Use?
Fired for Taking Needed Medication According to many reports, heroine use has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S., which naturally drives up the number of individuals seeking treatment sometimes aided by the prescription drug methadone. Unfortunately, the uphill battle to recovery goes beyond just kicking the habit; often times, recovering addicts face discrimination when they… Read More »
