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I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a comic book geek. And while Spider Man was not my favorite superhero, a favorite quote of mine is associated with him: “With great power comes great responsibility.” 

While making the leap from superhero to lawyer probably requires some superhuman power, no extraordinary effort is needed in making

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A little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing, especially when legal issues are involved. This truism makes the Internet a virtual minefield for the unwary looking for “free legal advice,” which often happens in the area of post employment restrictions and noncompete agreements. As discussed below, however, a noncompete lawsuit arising from incomplete

Discrimination Underlined.jpgIs An Employer Liable for Harassment by non-employees? This question was inspired by a recent discrimination lawsuit (PDF) filed by a Michigan nurse against her employer, Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Michigan. The lawsuit claims the employer agreed to a man’s request that no African-Americans care for his newborn baby.

While most parents of newborns would

Employee Manual.jpgMost employers understand that an employee manual is a cornerstone of good HR best practices. Unless, however, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) says otherwise, which means your company’s employee handbook could be a source of liability.

This point was recently illustrated in a recent decision where the NLRB affirmed a finding that DirectTV’s employee

Cheat Sheet.jpgEmployment discrimination under Michigan or federal law can be a very complex and nuanced. The following is an overview of important points employers need to be aware of under Michigan’s employment discrimination statute:

Employment Discrimination Under Michigan Law 

For Michigan employers the primary state statute that prohibits workplace discrimination is Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights

YellowQuestionMark.jpgThe Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division’s acting Deputy Administrator issued an Administrator’s Interpretation (2013-1) that is intended to clarify a question employers and employees had under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and involving an employee seeking leave to care for an adult son or daughter with a disability.

Specifically, under the January

New Year Baby.jpgBusiness owners had a lot to cry about when it came to 2012 Michigan court decisions addressing noncompete agreements.

But, as discussed below, a lot of this frustration arose out of poorly drafted noncompete agreements and failing to fully evaluate the relevant circumstances involving changing employment relationships before reducing those changes to written employment agreements. 

Facebook Like.jpgProposed Michigan Social Media legislation is back in the headlines. Specifically, Chris Gautz of Crain’s Detroit Business reported that Michigan Senate House Bill 5523, (sponsored by Rep. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton), was approved unanimously by the House in September and is now sitting on the Senate floor. 

This bill would “outlaw” employers from requiring employees