Employee Rights Blog

Mass Layoffs Report - Quarterly

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:34:01 +0000

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that private-sector nonfarm employers conducted 914 mass layoffs in the first quarter (January-March) of 2013, causing 154,374 workers to lose their jobs for at least 31 days. Both numbers fell to their lowest first quarter levels on record since 1996. Additionally, extended mass layoff events were down by [...]

Disaster Unemployment Assistance - Storms, Winds, Flooding

Sat, 11 May 2013 15:43:11 +0000

President Obama recently declared disaster areas in Illinois because of severe storms, straight-line winds and flooding. Subsequently, employees and self-employed individuals who have lost their jobs or incomes as a direct result of the disasters might be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is a special program funded by the federal government that [...]

Unemployment Rate - Updated Monthly

Fri, 03 May 2013 16:14:27 +0000

The U.S. unemployment rate dipped to 7.5 percent in April 2013, while the economy gained 165,000 nonfarm jobs. According to the most recent monthly report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the private sector gained 176,000 jobs, but continuing government layoffs dropped the net gain by 11,000. The BLS also revised its job numbers for [...]

Mass Layoffs Report - Updated Monthly

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:15:48 +0000

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that employers completed 1,337 mass layoffs in March 2013, causing 127,939 newly laid-off workers to file initial claims for unemployment benefits. Both numbers decreased from February. Monthly mass layoffs decreased by 85 from February, while the number of workers who filed initial claims for unemployment benefits decreased by [...]

Hiring Outlook

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:04:51 +0000

According to the most recent results of an often-cited survey by ManpowerGroup, “Hiring decision makers continue to take a measured but optimistic approach to hiring plans for Quarter 2 2013”. Manpower conducted over 18,000 interviews with U.S. employers in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the top-100 metropolitan statistical areas regarding their job [...]

Unemployment Benefit Extensions 2013 - Updated

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:50:15 +0000

President Obama has signed a new law that stretches eligibility for unemployment benefit extensions through 2013. Under the new law, nicknamed the “fiscal cliff bill” and officially entitled the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, the unemployment benefit extensions consist of up to 47 weeks in Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) and up to 20 weeks in [...]

Can I Take Family or Medical Leave for Flu?

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 18:19:24 +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 flu is covered under the FMLA depends on its seriousness according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor [...]

Hurricane Sandy Unemployment Benefits - Updated

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 16:14:20 +0000

If you’ve lost your job, work hours or self-employment income directly due to Hurricane Sandy, then you might be eligible to collect hurricane unemployment benefits through a special federal program called Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) often becomes available after the U.S. president declares one or more major disaster areas because of damage caused [...]

Must my employer give me time off to vote?

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:17:59 +0000

If you’re wondering whether or not your employer must give you time off from work to vote in U.S. elections, such as in the presidential election on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, 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 [...]

About the Labor Day Holiday

Mon, 27 Aug 2012 16:33:07 +0000

Labor Day, a U.S. national holiday that honors workers, occurs each year on the first Monday of September. Labor Day 2012 falls on Monday, September 3. 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 [...]

Wildfire Unemployment Benefits

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 15:24:33 +0000

Wildfire unemployment benefits are now available in Colorado for employees and self-employed individuals, in the form of Disaster Unemployment Assistance. President Obama recently declared major disaster areas in the Colorado counties of El Paso and Larimer, because of damage caused by the raging wildfires in the High Park and Waldo Canyon areas. Subsequently, employees and self-employed individuals [...]

Child Labor in Summer Jobs

Sun, 06 May 2012 18:50:29 +0000

The time for teenagers to seek summer jobs has arrived. Subsequently, hiring employers, along with job-seeking teenagers and their parents, would be wise to become familiar with the restrictions imposed by federal and state child labor laws. In summary, federal child labor law: Generally sets the minimum legal work age at 14 Limits the work hours that employers [...]

Extended Unemployment Benefits 2012

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:26:43 +0000

On February 22 President Obama signed a new law that further extends unemployment benefit extensions through the remainder of 2012. Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued guidance on the extensions. Update 1/2/2013: Congress has passed the bill that stretches eligibility for unemployment benefit extensions through 2013. See Unemployment Benefit Extensions 2013 for more information. Update [...]

Self-Employment Assistance

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:25:34 +0000

Self-Employment Assistance is a special program that helps eligible unemployed workers, including those with disabilities, attempt to become self-employed while collecting state unemployment benefits. Typically, unemployed workers must regularly seek new employee jobs to remain eligible for receiving state unemployment benefits. Under the Self-Employment Assistance program, unemployed workers may instead attempt to become self-employed, such as by [...]

Minimum Wage 2012

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 22:51:13 +0000

The eight states listed below increased the hourly minimum wage to the dollar amounts shown, on the effective date of January 1, 2012. Arizona $7.65 Colorado $7.64 Florida $7.67 Montana $7.65 Ohio $7.70 Oregon $8.80 Vermont $8.46 Washington $9.04 Update 2/5: Legislatures in California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey and New York are considering raising the minimum wage. On March [...]

Emergency & Extended Unemployment Benefits 2012 Update

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:58:44 +0000

President Obama signed a new law that extends eligibility for the current unemployment benefit extensions explained below, for two more months into 2012. A House-Senate conference committee will negotiate extending the benefits through 2012. Update: The committee has come to an agreement and President Obama has signed the law. See the blog post Extended Unemployment Benefits [...]

Does my employer owe me severance pay?

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:43:38 +0000

Perhaps you’ll be surprised to learn that there is no federal law that specifically requires employers to provide severance pay to employees when employment relationships end. For example, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which is considered to be the “main pay law” because it regulates employment wage and hour matters at the federal level, does [...]

Retirement Age for Social Security

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:47:48 +0000

When President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act of 1935 into law, the retirement age for all U.S. workers was 65 to qualify for full Social Security retirement benefits. That’s no longer the case thanks to Social Security’s financial woes, partly from Americans living longer than ever before past the age of 65. Legislation passed in [...]

Holiday Hiring Myth - Holiday Job Search Myth

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 20:12:41 +0000

It’s a myth that employers bring 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 hiring often slows [...]

Holiday Jobs Hiring Forecast

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:28:24 +0000

If you’ve been thinking about landing a temporary holiday job to afford Christmas gifts or simply to pay your bills, now is the time to apply. Applicant screening typically starts in October and recent forecasts indicate that retailers might hire up to 627,600 holiday workers in 2011, give or take. This year’s annual holiday hiring forecast [...]