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 »
Iowa Employee Arbitration Agreements
Businesses Favored in Arbitration – Employees At Short End of Stick Somewhere in that stack of paperwork you are presented with by a new employer, may lurk an arbitration agreement. Many employees are asked to sign an arbitration agreement, in which they give up the right to sue in court for employment-related issues such as… Read More »
Job Denied Based on Discrimination…Des Moines Wrongful Termination
Pre-employment exams are regularly used to screen job applicants as a means to find the most suitable employees. Employers typically administer these exams to assess a potential employee’s physical fitness, health, personality traits among other qualities. Although the screening process seems to make sense to match the most qualified employees to available job openings, pre-employment… Read More »
Older Workers Need Not Apply – Age Discrimination Rears Its Ugly Head
The federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits age discrimination against many employees or job applicants 40 years or older. The ADEA offers protection regarding hiring, training, benefits, compensation, promotion, firing, layoffs and other terms and privileges of employment. With an aging workforce, older employees and applicants should be aware of their rights to… Read More »
Employee or Independent Contractor – What Difference Does it Make?
Federal and state regulators are cracking down on employers who misclassify employees as contractors or freelancers. So really, what is the the difference between the two? When it comes to being an independent contractor, many will tell you they enjoy a flexible schedule, the opportunity to build a brand around their work, and the ability… Read More »
