Consistency is the Best Policy

“But that’s not our policy.” How many times have you heard this or repeated this to someone else in the workplace? Clear, consistent policies help shape reasonable expectations among partners, managers and co-workers. But inconsistent policies… Read More
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What Are You Doing for Lunch?

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to compensate employees for every hour worked, and at the rate of 1.5 times the employees’ regular wages for overtime. But does lunch time count as work time? The answer depends upon what the e… Read More
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Common FMLA Mistakes

It is commonly known that the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to eligible employees. What may not be as well-known are the FMLA’s technical requirements, which… Read More
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New Year, New Minimum Wage

Some employees will be receiving a wage increase on January 1, 2017 (whether or not their employer planned it)! The minimum wage in Michigan increases to $8.90 per hour (or $3.38 for employees earning tips). Beginning in 2018, the minimum wage will r… Read More
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Revised IRS Form I-9 Effective in January

The Department of Homeland Security introduced Form I-9 both to prevent the hiring of illegal immigrants and also to protect workplace rights of “authorized” individuals living in the United States, regardless of their status. Starting January 22… Read More
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Stop! New Overtime Rule on Hold.

Yesterday, a federal judge in Texas issued a temporary restraining order that blocks the Department of Labor from enforcing its new overtime rule, which was scheduled to take effect December 1. If implemented, the new rule would double the minimum ba… Read More
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Out on Leave and Barely Missed

A recent employment discrimination case in the Ninth Circuit involved the following facts: Alice Mendoza, a bookkeeper for a church in Los Angeles, took a ten-month sick leave from her job. While she was gone, the church pastor assumed Mendoza’s du… Read More
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Hiring Teens: Things You…

Hiring Teens: Things You Should Know Before the First Day of Work

My oldest two children are teenagers now, and the subject of “getting a job” has been batted around our house of late. As we consider the possibilities, I’ve conducted a bit of quick research regarding what teens can and cannot do for employmen… Read More
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Director and Officer Liability in the Private Sector

Shortly after my husband and I moved to our current home, I decided to take a turn sitting on our Homeowners’ Association Board of Directors. One of the first issues that arose for the board that year was a dispute from an association member who ac… Read More
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Smoking Joints For Aching…

Smoking Joints For Aching Joints: What’s An Employer To Do?

Under Michigan’s Medical Marijuana Act, patients who have been prescribed the use of marijuana to treat medical conditions and who hold a registry identification card, shall not be subject to “disciplinary action by a business or occupational or… Read More
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