Employee Rights Blog

Mass Layoffs Report - Updated Monthly

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:32:48 +0000

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that employers initiated 2,127 mass layoffs in October 2009, causing at least 217,182 additional workers to lose their jobs to the recession. Both measures decreased from September, but were still at year-to-date highs as they were in August and September. Each layoff measured involved at least 50 workers [...]

Genetic Discrimination Law to Take Effect

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:32:02 +0000

A relatively new genetic discrimination law will soon make it illegal for employers to discriminate against employees on the basis of genetic information in any aspect of employment, including hiring, termination, pay and benefits. Former President George W. Bush signed the genetic discrimination law, officially referred to as the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), [...]

Can I Take Family or Medical Leave for Flu?

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 23:19:24 +0000

Generally, eligible employees may take job-protected leave from work under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to care for their own illnesses or those of sick family members; but, whether or not the swine flu (H1N1 virus) is covered under the FMLA depends on its seriousness, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. [...]

Employment Help for Wounded & Injured Veterans

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:56:49 +0000

Earlier this year the U.S. Department of Labor introduced two new programs to help wounded and injured service members returning from the War on Terrorism, prepare for civilian careers and land gainful employment as veterans. REALifelines REALifelines, short for Recovery and Employment Assistance Lifelines, helps wounded and injured veterans and transitioning service members prepare for civilian careers [...]

Mass Layoffs Report - Updated Quarterly

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:24:01 +0000

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported today that employers initiated 1,776 mass layoffs in the third quarter (July-September) of 2009, causing 277,924 workers to lose their jobs for at least 31 days. Each layoff measured involved at least 50 workers per employer. Worker separations (job losses) were measured by initial claims for unemployment benefits. Did [...]

Extended Unemployment Benefits Authorized

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:55:44 +0000

President Obama has authorized yet another round of extended unemployment benefits, by signing the Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act of 2009. Among other things, the new Act grants extended unemployment benefits (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) for 14 additional weeks in all states, plus an extra 6 weeks in states with unemployment rates of at least 8.5 [...]

Unemployment Rate - Updated Monthly

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:02:27 +0000

In October the national unemployment rate soared into double-digit territory for the first time in 26+ years, by unexpectedly jumping up from 9.8 to 10.2 percent. The unemployment rate does not include workers who are involuntarily working only part time (1-34 hours) and with fewer benefits, if any, such as no health, disability or life insurance. The [...]

Senate Passes Extended Unemployment Benefits Bill

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:57:02 +0000

The Senate has finally authorized extended unemployment benefits (Emergency Unemployment Compensation), by unanimously passing the underlying bill for the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009. The House of Representatives passed their version of the extended unemployment benefits bill (H.R.3548, Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2009), which covered only states with high unemployment rates, and sent it [...]

Holiday Hiring Myth - Holiday Job Search Myth

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 20:35:41 +0000

It’s a myth that employers bring job hiring to a screeching halt, solely because the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays are approaching. Sadly, job seekers who are desperate for jobs, but believe the myth, stop job searching as the holiday season approaches, a time when they typically need money the most. It’s true that job hiring [...]

Must my employer give me time off to vote?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:35:59 +0000

If you’re wondering whether or not your employer must give you time off from work to vote in elections, it depends on whether or not the state in which you work has enacted a law with employee “time off to vote” provisions. There is no Federal law that requires employers to give employees work time off [...]

Disaster Unemployment Assistance - Storm, Tornado, Flood…

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 18:24:11 +0000

Disaster Unemployment Assistance might be or soon might be available for eligible employees and self-employed individuals who’ve recently lost their jobs or income, because of damage caused by a severe storm, tornado, flood or wind. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is a special program funded by the federal government that becomes active, if required, after the President [...]

Employer Labor Law Violations Abound

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:12:17 +0000

Study results recently released by a group of research organizations generally concluded that employer labor law violations against America’s low-wage workers are systematic, routine, severe and widespread. Employers of low-wage workers most often violate labor laws that are generally referred to as wage and hour laws, according to the study results. The researchers surveyed 4,387 low-wage workers [...]

Which are Unfair Pay Laws?

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:05:16 +0000

There are no Federal “unfair pay laws” (or “unfair pay acts”) named as such, but the Federal laws briefly explained below protect workers from unfair pay practices in one way or another. So-called unfair pay laws (or fair pay laws) are generally referred to as discrimination laws or wage and hour laws. Discrimination Laws Serving as [...]

Hiring Outlook

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:34:51 +0000

According to the results of the most recent, often-cited survey by Manpower, most U.S. employers anticipate no change in hiring in Quarter 4, 2009 from Quarter 3. In the press release that announced the survey, Manpower’s Chairman and CEO Jeff Joerres said “The hiring intentions of U.S. companies continue to be sluggish. While there are areas [...]

About the Labor Day Holiday

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:37:07 +0000

Labor Day, a U.S. national holiday that honors workers, occurs each year on the first Monday of September. Labor Day 2009 falls on Monday, September 7. According to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), exactly who founded the Labor Day holiday is unclear. Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, General Secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters [...]

Are there any Layoff Laws?

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:17:00 +0000

There are no “layoff laws” that regulate all to do with layoffs, because employment is “at will” in the USA. However, employees are protected to a degree by a few laws that function as layoff laws of sorts. The “main” layoff law, so to speak, is the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act), [...]

Is a Severance Agreement Legal?

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:41:33 +0000

There was a time when conscientious employers provided severance pay to help employees survive layoffs. But, these days, employers who provide severance pay at all are more likely to do so as a “bribe” of sorts, to encourage departing employees to sign severance agreements that waive their rights to sue the employers. For layoffs, the most [...]

Minimum Wage Increase

Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:22:22 +0000

On July 24, 2009 the federal minimum wage will increase to $7.25 per hour, a raise of 70 cents over the current hourly rate of $6.55 that became effective last year. Former President George W. Bush authorized the minimum wage increase in May 2007, when he signed the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 passed by [...]

Am I Entitled to Show-Up Pay?

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 22:41:33 +0000

Whether or not you’re entitled to receive show-up pay due to lack of work, depends on whether or not you are working under an agreement, company policy or state wage and hour law (or a related rule, regulation, or order) that requires your employer to pay it to you. Show-up pay is a minimum amount in wages [...]

Obama Grants Federal Job Benefits to Gay Partners

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:36:41 +0000

President Obama issued a directive in the form of a Presidential Memorandum late yesterday afternoon, instructing the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to “legally” extend employment benefits to the same-sex domestic partners of gay federal workers. The president was expected to list the benefits to which the partners of [...]