Wage and Hour Issues for Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Schools are quickly grappling with emergency plans and mandated closures due to the spread of COVID-19. The following is a summary of potential options to consider related to statutory pay and hour issues to address employee compensation during closures or subject to quarantine. As of March 16, 2020, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has…

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NLRB Shifts to Employer-Friendly View of Workplace Rules

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) General Counsel Peter Robb recently issued a new Guidance Memorandum detailing how NLRB Regional Offices receiving claims of improper employment policies are to interpret employer workplace rules. The Memo is good news for employers because it establishes a new, and much more employer-friendly standard for lawfulness of employee work rules. The…

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Legal Tips to Prevent Harassment in the Workplace

In this #MeToo era, preventing harassment in the workplace is necessary to retain good employees, protect your entities’ reputation and avoid liability for the employer, as well as individual employees. It is a reason to proactively review harassment policies, complaint procedures and training on harassment – and to do so now before it’s too late…

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U.S. Department of Labor Releases Updated FMLA Forms

The Department of Labor (DOL) has updated FMLA forms which expired on May 31, 2018. The DOL is required to submit its FMLA forms every three years to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for approval. The forms were last approved in 2015. After expiration, they were extended on a month-to-month basis while OMB…

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Obama’s Overtime Rule Struck Down

On May 23, 2016, the Department of Labor issued new Fair Labor Standards Act regulations which required all employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act to pay their “white collar” employees at least $913 per week to remain exempt from overtime.  This would have more than doubled the current $455 per week salary threshold. …

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U.S. Department of Labor Announces Final Rule for Federal Contractors Aimed at Non-Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

The Attorney General recently issued a legal opinion on whether fees can be charged for copies of public records, when the requester uses their own technology to make the copies. (OAG-12-14, 12/30/14). This new legal opinion addresses the fees that can be charged for copies of court documents maintained by the clerk of courts or…

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