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Minnesota

Let other leave fill gap until FMLA eligibility

06/16/2014
Employers can’t fire an employee who is about to reach the thres­­hold for FMLA eligibility if the em­­­­­­ployee has other accrued leave available to bridge her to FMLA eligibility.

Women’s Economic Security Act adds major protections

05/26/2014
Minnesota employers will have some new rules to follow after the state Legislature passed a bill aimed at re­­duc­­ing the gender pay gap and providing more protections to female employees.

Can we fire employees who collaborated on writing letter complaining about pay cuts?

05/22/2014
Q. We recently notified employees that we will be cutting pay due to difficult economic times. Then we received an anonymous letter expressing concerns about this decision. It suggested alternatives to pay cuts, such as eliminating our employer 401(k) match. We determined that the letter was written by one employee and edited by another. Can we terminate them?

Can we mandate direct deposit?

05/22/2014
Q. We require all employees to provide us with bank account information so we can direct-deposit their pay. One of our employees has refused and has told us that she is not required accept electronic deposits of her pay. Is the employee correct?

DOL provides new guidance on ACA-mandated lactation breaks

05/22/2014
The ACA health care reform law amended the Fair Labor Standards Act to require employers to provide a place for nursing mothers to express breast milk. The law includes specific requirements the space must meet to comply.

Goodhue County, Minn. dismisses ‘breast staring’ complaint

05/22/2014
The Goodhue County Board has dismissed sexual harassment complaints against three county employees, finding the charges unsubstantiated. A female employee of the county Veterans Services Office complained that her new boss created a “hostile work environment” for her and that county officials “retaliated” against her after she filed her complaint.

EEOC sues Mankato home care provider for disability bias

05/22/2014
Mankato-based Baywood Home Care faces a charge that it discriminated against a home health care aide who has fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. The EEOC has filed suit against the company, alleging it relied on stereotypes of disabled persons when it decided to fire the woman.

Judge doubles damages against University of Minnesota in golf coach case

05/22/2014
A long-running legal battle between a former women’s golf coach and the University of Minnesota has taken another turn. According to the golf coach’s attorney, problems began when the head of the university’s golf program found out that the new women’s coach was gay.

Appeal jury’s out-of-the-blue verdict against you

05/22/2014
Sometimes a case that looks like it will end in a win for the employer ends in a surprise adverse jury verdict. Before you despair, remember that it’s not over. There may be room for a reversal.

Lying about criminal record? That’s grounds for firing–with no unemployment!

05/22/2014
While most Minnesota employers can no longer ask about an applicant’s criminal record until after the grant of a job interview offer (or, if there is no interview, a conditional employment offer), that doesn’t mean the applicant or new employee can lie about his criminal record later.