Over the past couple of years, unionization has become increasingly popular across the United States, with an estimated 200,000 employees joining unions in 2022 alone. However, not everyone understands what benefits a union can bring, and wonder if unionization might be appropriate for their workplace. So what are the benefits of unionizing your workplace?
Continue reading “What Are the Benefits of Unionizing Your Workplace?”
A surprising number of people across the United States are commissioned employees, people who are paid in part based on their sales or other metrics of job performance. While these jobs can be potentially lucrative for some, they also carry their own potential risks for exploitation by employers. Here are five things you need to know about commissioned employees:
Continue reading “Five Things You Need to Know About Commissioned Employees”
Crumbl Cookies, a national chain of bakeries specializing in cookies, has been accused by the U.S. Department of Labor of violating child labor laws in at least six states by making them work longer than is legally permitted. They are also accused of making these underage workers, some as young as 14 and 15, perform job duties that are considered hazardous, in violation of federal law. The company, when asked about the accusations, responded that it was “disappointed” that a “small number” of its franchisees chose to violate labor laws in this way, and emphasized its commitment to a safe working environment for its employees.
Continue reading “DOL Finds Crumbl Cookies Violated Child Labor Laws in Six States”
Age discrimination is a surprisingly common phenomenon, one that unfairly harms workers all across the United States. When people are the victims of this type of discrimination, they can potentially lose income, time, or business opportunities for no reason other than their age. But what exactly is age discrimination, and how do you know what it is when it is happening?
Continue reading “What is Age Discrimination, and What Does it Look Like?”
In an at-will employment relationship, employers have broad authority to fire employees, for a wide range of reasons. However, not every rationale for firing people is legal, and employers can face potential ramifications if they fire an employee for a legally prohibited reason. Here are five of the most common reasons that employees are illegally fired by their employers:
Continue reading “Five Reasons That People Are Illegally Fired”
Suffice it to say that many employers are not fond of labor unions, and some businesses will go to extreme (and sometimes illegal) efforts to prevent a union from being organized among their employees. These tactics range from the surprisingly subtle to the absurdly overt. Here are some of the most common tactics employers use to try to keep employees from organizing unions:
Continue reading “How Do Employers Try to Stop Unions From Being Organized?”
By far the most common type of employment in the United States is what is known as at-will employment. In fact, it is estimated that nearly three quarters of all employees in the U.S. are considered to be at-will employees. But what does it mean for someone to be employed at-will, and why might that matter for you?
Continue reading “What is At-Will Employment, and Why Does it Matter?”
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to deal with the dangers of heat illness in employment settings. As Steven Sack notes in his book, Fired!, “The 1970 Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide a safe and healthful workplace,” and protecting employees from these sorts of hazards is part of their mandate. The program targets 70 high-risk sectors where employees frequently suffer the ill effects of exposure to high temperatures. It has also signaled that it will be moving forward with new rulemaking to help prevent heat illness, in order to better protect workers from injury and death.
Continue reading “OSHA Announces Heat Illness Prevention Program”
Age discrimination is not discussed as often as other types of discrimination, but it is no less damaging for people and their careers. When employers choose to discriminate against their older employees, they can cause substantial harm to them and their career prospects. Here are five signs of age discrimination you may want to watch out for if you are 40 or older:
Continue reading “Five Potential Signs of Age Discrimination”
Labor organizing is an important, legally protected practice that is critical for helping workers to enforce their rights. Unfortunately, employers are often loath to allow employees to freely organize, and may take extreme (and potentially illegal) steps to prevent employees from unionizing. But what should you do if you get fired for organizing a labor union at your workplace?
Continue reading “What Happens If You Get Fired For Labor Organizing?”
Fill out the form below and we’ll be in touch soon.
