For anyone who has played sports, you’ve probably heard a coach say something like, “play through the whistle.” The idea being you don’t let up until the play is over. The same applies to running a company. Except when it comes to making the difficult decision to close a business, not playing through the whistle
Michigan “Bans-the-Box” for State Job Applicants
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder will sign an executive order “banning the box” on state job applications. This order applies only to State Agencies and does not extend to private sector employers.
NPR reported on 9/7/2018 that the order goes into effect on October 1, 2018, and will prevent state departments from using an application check
Failing to Provide Pregnant Employee Option to Telecommute Violated ADA
After a recent court opinion, Michigan companies will need to carefully re-evaluate whether allowing an employee the opportunity to telecommute as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA).
The case, Mosby-Meachem v Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division, involved an in-house attorney for Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division. She was
Michigan’s Minimum Wage Increases January 1, 2018
Michigan is one of 18 states where employees will receive an increase in paychecks beginning January 1. Specifically, Michigan’s minimum wage will increase $0.35, raising the minimum wage to $9.25. This is the last increase under the Workforce Opportunity Wage Act, which passed back in May 2014.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, the
Is it Lawful to Terminate an Employee Who Attended a Neo-Nazi or White Supremacist Rally?
Is “check to see if any employees came out to support Nazis or White Supremacist” the new normal for HR? After this weekend’s tragic and despicable events in Virginia, it looks like the answer is yes.
The events in question involved a rally of white supremacist, KKK members, and Neo-Nazis that took place at the
Pitfalls in Contracting with Employee Staffing Companies
Business owners are increasingly considering the use of outside vendors to meet workforce needs. This is especially true for temporary employees or flexible staffing solutions. But companies must carefully review any contractual terms apply to such workforce situations.
Employee Leasing Companies
We recently represented a company involved in a lawsuit against a staffing company called
Addressing Legal Issues in the Hiring Process and Your Job Search
According to the US Labor Department, employers added 156,000 jobs last month. Additionally, the participation rate increased to 62.9%. And the average hourly earnings moved 0.2 percentage points. These figures indicate a steadily increasing U.S. economy. But the Labor Department also found that the unemployment rate last month increased from 4.9% to 5%.
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Workplace Recommendations for Responding to the Zika Virus
The number of Zika cases being reported in the United States and its territories continues to rise. Such cases were recently reported in Michigan (Ingham County and Monroe County). For these reasons, it is prudent for Michigan businesses to understand their obligations and precautions that may be taken to limit Zika related risks in
Michigan Employees Find Themselves on the Chopping Block after Dow Corning Layoff Notices
M-Live, by Heather Jordan, reported that Dow Corning Corp. has formally notified the state of its plans to lay off 348 Michigan employees. This layoff follows the June 1, 2016, announcement of the successful completion of restructuring the ownership of Dow Corning joint venture with Midland-based Dow Chemical. Under that restructuring, Dow Chemical
NLRB Makes Gambling with Your Company’s Employee Handbook a Risky Bet
Employers are once again put on notice that missteps in drafting employee handbooks and other HR policies will be targeted as unfair labor practices where they come within an area code of compromising employee rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
This time, a California casino was found to have interfered with workers’ labor