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Employment Law

Feel free to discipline employees even if you discover wrongdoing during FMLA leave

10/14/2014
Some employees mistakenly believe that if they can just get FMLA leave approved, their employer can’t discharge them. Fortunately, that’s not true.

In Minnesota, encourage internal complaint process to protect against whistle-blower lawsuits

10/14/2014

Minnesota employees who believe they were punished for refusing to engage in illegal activities can sue under two distinct but related laws. First, they may have a claim under Minnesota’s Whistleblower Act. Second, they can sue under the state common law for wrongful discharge. Each law has a different standard.

Note time, circumstances of firing decision

10/14/2014

Employees may begin suspecting that their job is in danger before management has a chance to implement a discharge decision. That’s when you can expect them to complain about harassment or discrimination. Or, in Minnesota, they may request a copy of their personnel file to see what’s in it and prepare for a potential lawsuit. Beat that strategy by carefully documenting the discharge process.

Minnesota High Court’s double-trouble decision

10/14/2014
Here’s some disturbing news, courtesy of the Minnesota Supreme Court: When a supervisor threatens an employee with punishment or discharge for filing a workers’ compensation claim, that threat alone is grounds for a lawsuit.

NLRB: Firing employees for Facebook posts was unlawful

10/08/2014
Here’s another reminder to employers to exercise caution in imposing discipline for conduct on social media.

Mets and owner Wilpon sued over pregnancy remarks

10/08/2014
The New York Mets and its owner, Jeff Wilpon, face charges the baseball team fired its head of ticket sales and marketing because she chose to have a child out of wedlock.

EEOC sues pawnshop chain, alleges harassment

10/08/2014
The EEOC has filed suit against the owner of Seapod Pawnbrokers, a chain of pawnshops in Brooklyn and Queens. The owner allegedly made disparaging remarks to his largely Hispanic female employees.

Pro se litigant can’t start over after firing counsel

10/08/2014
Some litigants don’t want to listen to their attorneys when it comes to case management. That can make it difficult to settle a case or even cooperate with the other side. And things can get worse if the employee fires counsel and wants the equivalent of a do-over. Fortunately, most judges won’t let that happen.

Negligence can’t stand in for discrimination in N.Y.

10/08/2014

Clever lawyers are always looking for ways to reach deeper into employer pockets. One tactic has been to add state negligence claims to run-of-the-mill discrimination cases. That won’t work anymore, at least as far as negligent hiring, supervision and retention claims are concerned.

Independent agency decision doesn’t extend time for filing EEOC complaint

10/08/2014
Employees only have 300 days to get their EEOC complaints in after being fired or otherwise being hit with an adverse employment action.