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 »
Fathers Filing Gender Discrimination Complaints on the Rise
The mainstay of litigation involving women in the 1980’s and 90’s often revolved around employment discrimination linked to the perception of women being a caregiver first, a committed employee second. For decades, women who believed their employers had punished them with lower wages and missed promotions after they had become mothers have been filing gender… Read More »
Overtime Pay and Increased Benefits for Iowa Workers
With the passage of another beautiful, albeit hot & oh-so-humid, Labor Day weekend in Iowa, many are now looking forward to autumn. During the summer that seemed to fly by for many of us, there were a few labor and employment topics that took center stage that will likely impact employers and employees in 2016.… Read More »
Joint Employers for Temps and Contracted Workers
Many of the fastest growing industries utilize subcontracted or non-standard work structures to get the job done – outsourcing is king in today’s economy. The expanded use of contractors leaves many workers lacking the traditional benefits of being categorized as an employee, saving many companies across the U.S. millions. In a recent decision by the… Read More »
No Jobs for the Disabled…Is it Employment Discrimination?
Only a small percentage of disabled Americans are working today despite the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 25 years ago. Some people with disabilities feel that the law may be part of the problem in that prospective employers are afraid to hire them, fearing they will be sued if they cannot meet… Read More »
Minimum Wage Not Keeping Up for Many
Times, they are a changin’. Summer jobs are not cutting it for college students trying to pay tuition and associated costs like they use to. Back in the early eighties, the full cost to attend a public university – tuition, room & board – carried a price tag of just $2,870 give or take. Some… Read More »
Overtime Pay May Include More Workers
Federal law requires that salaried employees be paid time-and-a-half for overtime only if they work more than 40 hours a week and earn less than $455 a week, or $23,660 a year. That results in many workers who make slightly more than the maximum allowable income, or who are otherwise categorized as exempt, may end… Read More »
Age Discrimination Plaintiffs Triumph Via Settlement Gesture
In order to avoid a costly, time-consuming court battle, Enterprise Rental Car has agreed to pay $425,000 to settle an age discrimination complaint filed with the U.S. Equal Employment opportunity commission. The complaint alleged that between 2008 and 2011, the company discriminated against older employees applying for the Enterprise management training program. Apparently, these ‘old… Read More »
Insurance Company Claim Denial – Is it Bad Faith?
Insurers are required by law to properly investigate claims, pay benefits as appropriate, and not delay payment. A bad faith insurance claim arises from an insurance company not handling a claim fairly – intentionally or not. Generally speaking, a bad faith claim can result when an insurance company refuses to pay a claim without reasonable… Read More »
