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Minnesota

Discharged for moonlighting? Former employee may not be eligible for unemployment

04/08/2008
If you discharge an employee who has been moonlighting, and he or she continues to work on the side, the moonlighting income may make the former employee ineligible for unemployment compensation …

Prithee, hast thou a light for my pipe?

04/08/2008
When Minnesota’s ban on smoking in restaurants and bars took effect in October, some astute restaurateurs noted it provided an exception for actors, who may light up during performances. Since then, about 30 establishments have made productions of themselves, printing up playbills, posting “Stage Entrance” and “Props Dept.” signs, and generally making merry …

No joke: Al Franken agrees to pay workers’ comp fine

04/08/2008
Democratic Senate candidate Al Franken has agreed to pay a $25,000 fine to the state of New York for failing to carry workers’ compensation for almost three years. The fine was levied in August 2006 after a web site supporting incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman reported that Franken had not paid the insurance on his personal corporation …

State’s lawyer says she was punished for union organizing

04/08/2008
Assistant Attorney General Amy Lawler says she was suspended for speaking out in favor of a union movement in the attorney general’s office. But Attorney General Lori Swanson’s administration says Lawler was put on leave in March only because she had failed to follow the proper channels in raising ethics concerns …

Airline merger in holding pattern

04/08/2008
A potential merger at Delta and Northwest airlines is on hold while pilots try to work out a seniority agreement. The proposed merger is complicated by the fact that Atlanta-based Delta has a younger work force than Northwest, which is based in Eagan …

Burnsville hospital prevails in EEOC discrimination suit

04/08/2008
Sheila Smith, a former transport aide in the emergency room at Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville, filed an EEOC lawsuit alleging she suffered discrimination and retaliation because she is black. The court found that while the comments made about her  were “abhorrent,” they were made by co-workers, not supervisors, and did not rise to the level of creating a hostile work environment …

Charging employees for uniforms

04/08/2008
Q. We would like to require employees to pay for their work uniforms. Can we do this? …

Exempt employees and a reduced workweek

04/08/2008
Q. During our slow season, we would like to require employees to work just four days per week in order save on labor costs. Can we require exempt employees to participate? …

Ensure harassment victim knows you want her to stay

04/01/2008
Employees who believe they are enduring unbearable harassment may feel they have no choice but to resign. If that happens, they may be able to sue their employers for constructive discharge. But employers can mitigate that danger by making sure the employee understands that management wants her to stay on board while the company investigates …

Document timing of employee complaints

04/01/2008
When it comes to retaliation, timing is everything. It’s impossible for an employer to retaliate against an employee for complaining about alleged harassment or discrimination before the employer knows about it. That’s why it’s so important to note for the record the date and the exact time HR or a supervisor got a harassment or discrimination complaint …