The Work/Life Balance – Are There Employment Laws That Protect It?
For any working parent, it’s hard to maintain the coveted work/life balance. It doesn’t matter if you manage a fast food restaurant or a multi-billion dollar corporation – the ability to fit everything you need to in a 24-hour day is harder than ever before.
The majority of companies don’t make …
Gender Discrimination and Sexism in the Technology Industry
Old-School Sexism in a High-Tech Industry
Leaders like Marissa Mayer of Yahoo! and Sheryl Sandberg of Facebook have made an incredible impact on the high-tech industry and are admired for their accomplishments by men and women alike.
Yet, their positions in the industries are the exception. Sex…
Can You Exchange Overtime for Comp Time?
You’ve been working hard on a project for your company, putting in 48 hours instead of the standard 40-hour workweek.
To thank you, your manager gives you a day off in comp time the following week so you can spend time with your family. While the act appears to be one of generosity, in fact, it …
Discrimination Based On A Worker’s Health Care Choice
Protecting Whistleblowers Who Report Affordable Care Act Violations
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), otherwise known as Obamacare, reduces healthcare costs for American workers by abolishing dollar limits on health benefits, eliminating preventative care co-pays and deductibles, and capping out-of…
If You Have a Prescription for Medicinal Marijuana, Can You Be Fired for Failing the Drug Test?
The conversation surrounding the rights of employees engaging in legal conduct off-premises has expanded from an era of considering the use of...
New California Overtime Mandates Threaten Home Care Providers and Their Patients
Each year, more than 12 million Americans receive care at home temporarily or permanently because of an illness, injury or condition. These individuals are cared for by more than two million home care employees nationwide who perform every duty from providing medical care to cleaning the patient…
How You Are Fired Is Just As Important As Why You Were Fired
When employees knowingly take shortcuts that put a business and its employees at risk, their employer has every right to reprimand or even fire them for their actions. However, the company must follow the same baseline procedures for every employee in the organization to avoid possible litigation…
Big Lots Fires Employee for Taking Protected FMLA Leave and Pays the Price
Imagine the fear and distress you would experience caring for your seriously ill or injured child. On top of the worry you feel day after day as you watch him suffer, your employer reprimands you for taking time to be by his side.
TheFamily and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) gives a worker the right …
Obama Pushes for Changes in Overtime Pay Qualifications
In fast food restaurants, convenience stores and manufacturing facilities, salaried employees are working more than 40 hours a week without receiving the benefits of overtime pay to which they’re entitled. In fact, they’re making less per hour than the employees they “supervise” and less than min…
Protecting Americans’ Rights to Sue for Workplace Discrimination
The right of American workers to fight against discrimination and harassment in a court of law is now more protected than ever thanks to a landmark ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employees may sue their employ…
Obesity IS a Disability
In the U.S., 35.7 percent of adults are obese. For those who struggle with obesity, the impairments can be considerable. Individuals may have trouble walking up steps and standing for long periods of time, not to mention joint and muscle pain. Working can be a struggle when appropriate accommodat…
Your Company’s FMLA Violations Could Affect Your Career
If you’re having a baby, recovering from a surgery, or preparing your spouse for military leave, you may be covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). If you qualify, you can take up to 12 weeks unpaid leave in a 12-month period to care for your family – or yourself – and rest assure…
Ensuring Fair Overtime Pay for Workers in the Oil and Gas Industry
Too many Americans are beingdenied the overtime compensation they’ve earned. While refusing pay is wrong and illegal in any industry, for employees in the oilfields of America where work can be physically challenging and possibly dangerous, it’s incredibly unfair. Especially for workers who are …
Religious Discrimination Cases That Shook the Workplace in 2013
We assume that as society has evolved, Americans have become more accepting of different religions and value sets. However, in the workplace, it appears that biases still exist when it comes to what an employee or coworker believes. And surprisingly, it touches on even the most mainstream religio…
Retaliation Cases in Georgia
Court Makes It Harder for Employees to Prove Retaliation
If you file a discrimination claim against your employer and are retaliated against for your actions, how do you prove the reason behind the retaliation? In 2013, after a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, it has become more difficult to…
Is 2014 the Year of the Minimum Wage Increase?
Each day, millions of Americans go to work in low wage jobs in order to keep the nation running. The majority of these employees – up to 60 percent – work in the service industry at fast food restaurants, hotels and retail stores to provide the services all of us need to make our own day-to-day l…
Social Media Becomes a New Avenue for Workplace Discrimination
When you interview for a position, your interviewer is prohibited in most instances by law from asking you any questions regarding your family situation, religious beliefs or medical history. The goal of the law, of course, is to protect you against discrimination in the hiring process. But did …
Is My Employer Required to Pay My Salary During My FMLA Leave?
If you’re considering taking leave from work under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) for maternity leave, to take care of a loved one, or to recover from a surgery or accident, there’s a good chance you may have to save up or dip into your savings.
Under the FMLA, your company is…
Who Does the Working Family Flexibility Act Truly Benefit?
Today, busy employees are striving for a work/life balance. They’re craving flexibility in their jobs that allows them to find the time to spend with family, focus on their goals and take time off to relax if they’re sick. According to US News and World Report, 75 percent of women would choose mo…
Breach of Contract Lawsuit Against SEE Baby, LLC
The Barrett & Farahany, LLP law firm filed a Complaint for Damages on December 18th, 2013, against SEE Baby, LLC in The Superior Court of Fulton County State of Georgia for Breach of Contract under Georgia state law on behalf of their client (Plaintiff).
The Plaintiff worked for SEE Baby as a ph…
How to Prove Defamation
Imagine you’re a contractor. A homeowner who hired you to perform work at his house turns around and criticizes your work on a review site. In turn, other customers you’ve spoken with decide to go with your competitors.
Since the homeowner’s review affected your business, can you sue for defamat…
Understanding Severance Packages
In the event of a merger, acquisition or layoff, your position at work could be in jeopardy. If the axe falls, your company may offer you a severance package to take the sting out of your termination, giving you a financial safety net as you pursue other employment. But more important to your com…
Working and Pregnant? Know Your Rights Under the FMLA
If you are pregnant and planning yourmaternity leave, it’s important to understand your company’s leave policy. In some cases, an employer may offer its employees paid maternity leave, but the employer is not required to do so. The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 is often a viable option…
Hooters Waitress Fired for Hair Color, Sues for Racial Discrimination
Many women today no longer have what could be called their “natural” hair color. Whether it’s subtle highlights or a bright, bold color, women use their hair to express themselves and stay fashionable.
When Farryn Johnson, an African-American woman, put blond highlights in her hair, she didn’t …