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Minnesota

Union accepted practice? That kills FLSA claim

10/17/2016
In a rare case showing that there may be some benefit to having a unionized workplace, a court has refused to consider whether employees should be paid for time spent putting on and taking off protective clothing.

Beware inflated performance reviews! They can come back to haunt you

09/26/2016
It can be uncomfortable to criticize a subordinate’s performance. As a result, some supervisors resort to writing generic, positive performance reviews. But that can come back to haunt the employer later.

Patience key to lawsuit-proof firing decisions

09/26/2016
When a fired employee sues you, winning often depends on careful documentation that demonstrates how her performance did not meet your standards.

Of course, no cellphone use while driving, but what about smartphone-based GPS?

09/22/2016
Q. We have a policy that does not allow employees to use their cellphones when driving for work, but what about GPS? Many employees say that they cannot safely get to a location without using the GPS functions built into their phones.

Why should we worry about job descriptions?

09/22/2016
Q. We are working on updating our job descriptions for our production employees. Are there any legal considerations we should take into account? We do not have any job descriptions for our office employees. It is hard because those jobs change so much. Is this a problem?

Voluntary activities & workers’ comp: It’s all fun and games until …

09/22/2016
Many companies provide fun employee outings to boost morale or show gratitude to their workforce. But what if an employee gets hurt during one of these events?

OSHA issues interim guidance on Zika

09/22/2016
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued interim guidance for employers to help protect employees against the mosquito-borne Zika virus.

Banker wins $3.5 million in sexual orientation suit

09/22/2016
A Steele County, Minn., judge has awarded a banker $3.5 million in damages after a bank holding company ousted him after he revealed he is gay.

Staffing firm cleared of falsely attesting validity of I-9 docs

09/22/2016
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a $226,000 fine levied against a Minnesota staffing company for attesting to the validity of I-9 documents presented to a Texas staffing company.

COBRA coverage continues even if carrier changes

09/22/2016
Employees who elect to continue their health insurance coverage after a work separation get to maintain that coverage even if the employer switches plans.