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Minnesota

Employment Lawyer Network:
Minnesota

Carl Crosby Lehmann (Editor)

Minnesota Employment Law

Carl.Lehmann@GPMLaw.com
(612) 632-3234

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Carl Crosby Lehmann, Esq., of Gray, Plant Mooty in Minneapolis, has significant experience in advising employers on personnel matters, drafting employment policies and agreements, and litigating employers' interests in both administrative and judicial proceedings. Carl's practice includes advising employers in personnel-related matters, including terminations, discrimination and sexual harassment issues, defamation claims, employment and independent contractor agreements, noncompete and confidentiality agreements, wage-hour concerns, voluntary and mandatory affirmative action policies, and insurance issues.

Justify why you decided not to follow the ‘same rule violation, same punishment’ rule

02/01/2019
Generally, if two employees break the same workplace rule and don’t have any prior violations, you should punish them the same way. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make judgment calls on which one may deserve more severe punishment, including discharge.

Go to jail, get fired, collect unemployment anyway

01/31/2019
Employees who engage in misconduct generally aren’t eligible for unemployment benefits. But that doesn’t mean a blanket rule that calls for firing anyone who is incarcerated will automatically rule out unemployment compensation.

RICO doesn’t cover employment law violations

01/31/2019
An employer has won a case that could have greatly complicated employment law litigation. A federal court has refused to allow a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act claim against an employer for using phones and the internet to discuss terminating an employee.

New Year brings minimum wage changes for Minnesota employers

01/02/2019
Now is the time to review labor and employment laws that will affect Minnesota employers in 2019. The minimum wage has been raised by the state of Minnesota and in the Twin Cities.

Minneapolis mayor vows to fire racist tree decorators

01/02/2019
Two unnamed police officers in Minneapolis’ 4th Precinct have been suspended and may face termination after hanging “racist” ornaments on a police station Christmas tree.

Requesting accommodation after discipline is too late

01/02/2019
Under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, disabled employees are entitled to accommodations. But timing is everything if a worker is disciplined before revealing a disability that may have contributed to work problems.

Court: ACA requires plans to cover gender reassignment

01/02/2019
A recent decision by the federal court in charge of Minnesota cases has ruled that health plans that exclude gender reassignment coverage violate the Affordable Care Act.

Advise unemployment authorities if you are still paying commissions to former employee

01/02/2019
If a former employee is collecting on your unemployment account, be sure to let the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development know, so it can adjust the benefit amount.

8th Circuit refuses to entertain sweeping expansion of religious discrimination claims

01/02/2019
The EEOC has argued that merely requesting a religiously based reasonable accommodation is protected activity and that any adverse employment action that follows may be retaliation for making the request. But the 8th Circuit declined the invitation.

Travel reimbursements could be FLSA wages

01/02/2019
Under IRS rules, employers that provide a payment for travel expenses in lieu of requiring proof that workers incurred expenses don’t have to withhold taxes or contribute to and remit Social Security taxes based on the payment. But the Fair Labor Standards Act treats such payments differently.