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Minnesota

Make sure employees record all hours they work

02/09/2011
Do you have an hourly employee who seems to be getting a tremendous amount of work done? Make sure she isn’t skipping breaks.

Retaliation long after employee complained? Courts skeptical when years pass without incident

02/09/2011
Judges understand that human emotion plays a part in some personnel actions—especially in cases involving alleged retaliation. They know that if an employer was planning to retaliate for something an employee did, it wouldn’t wait several years to act.

IWW gets 2nd shot to represent Twin Cities fast-food workers

02/09/2011
One of the few union organizing efforts in the fast-food business will get another chance. The Industrial Workers of the World lost an October 2010 unionization vote at Twin Cities area Jimmy John’s restaurants. But unfair labor practices charges against the franchisee who owns the 10 restaurants mean a new vote is likely in coming months.

Women dominate state workforce, but still earn less than men

02/09/2011
In the wake of a recession that disproportionately caused job losses in male-dominated fields such as construction, Minnesota women are faring slightly better these days, according to new research by the nonprofit Independent Women’s Forum.

Worry that boss is a bully? Ask subordinates

02/09/2011

You hear a lot about bullies and bullying these days, especially in schools. But bullies grow up. If they’re not stopped, they bring intimidation and violence into the workplace. What’s worse, some of them will become supervisors. If you get wind of a potential bully boss, here’s what to do:

Feel free to discipline or terminate employees who insist on working unauthorized overtime

01/14/2011

Hourly employees generally know that if they work overtime, their employer has to pay them for the extra hours. That’s true, but that doesn’t mean employees can work OT whenever they feel like it. Here’s how to end unauthorized overtime:

When worker may have broken rules, conduct independent investigation to confirm suspicions

01/14/2011
The possibility of hidden bias is what makes it so important to never base a termination decision solely on one person’s recommendation. The key is to cut the connection between the supervisor’s attitude and the company’s termination decision.

What are some alternatives to RIFs?

01/14/2011
Q. Our company is looking for ways to cut labor costs in order to remain competitive. We are considering implementing a reduction in our labor force and wondering if there are other cost-saving options that are not as legally risky as laying off people.

Must small employers grant FMLA leave when an employee adopts a child?

01/14/2011
Q. I am an HR manager for a company with 30 employees.  One of my newer full-time employees who has worked here for just over a year tells me that she needs some time off because she is adopting a baby from Russia. Am I required to give her any time off for the adoption?

Hire education: Filling job positions without inviting lawsuits

01/14/2011

Employers operate in an increasingly complex legal environment, made all the more difficult by the tough economy. Hiring has emerged as a particular trouble spot. You need to hire and maintain a skilled and productive workforce, but you must watch out for legal liability that can surface in the process.