The shooting of eight employees by a disgruntled co-worker in Connecticut is a chilling reminder of the prevalence of workplace violence in America. Almost 1,000 Americans are murdered in the workplace every year, and 63 of those people are killed by a co-worker. In today’s economy, many people are working longer hours and feeling more [...]
Many employers choose to offer flexible work schedules to their employees. This flexibility allows some employees to telecommute from home. It can also save employers on office space and the emotional wear and tear on employees. Employees may be eager for the chance to commute to their basement office instead of spending hours in the [...]
With little fanfare, Elena Kagan was sworn in as the newest Supreme Court Justice on August 7th. Her Senate confirmation hearing seemed more of a formality than typical recent confirmations which scrutinized legal and moral philosophies. Kagan was the first female Solicitor General, and will be only the fourth woman to sit on the country’s [...]
A proposed Federal bill would include home health aides, nurses’ aides, and babysitters under federal minimum wage and overtime laws. In-home direct care workers who work 20 or more hours per week would be covered under this new law. Currently, babysitters and companions working on a “casual basis” are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards [...]
On July 30, a new statute was signed into law in Illinois amending the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act. It allows employees to take allegations of wage payment violations directly to state circuit courts, and increases the ability of employees to file class action suits. Such employees can be awarded costs and attorneys fees [...]