The ADA: Understanding Your Obligations
As HR professionals, we take a lead role in making sure our workplace policies and practices are both compliant and ethical. We need to make sure our managers are operating under the same guidelines. One area where a high level of risk may be lurking is in responding to employee performance issues, concerns and requests […]
Upcoming Changes to Illinois Employment Laws
Over the summer, Illinois enacted several amendments to the state’s employment laws that will take effect January 1, 2020. Sexual Harassment Training All employers with Illinois employees must provide sexual harassment prevention training to their employees at least annually. The Illinois Department of Human Rights has advised that it will create a model training program […]
Coming Soon…Clarity on Tip Pools, Tip Credit, and Wages Paid to Tipped Employees
It feels right to share tips with those who support the servers, but is it legal? Currently, you cannot mandate that your tipped staff share their tips with other staff, such as hosts, dishwashers and bussers. But that may change soon for some hospitality employers. Last week, the federal Department of Labor (DOL) proposed a […]
Be Careful What You Ask For!
Over the years, most employers have become accustomed to asking for salary history during the interview or pre-screening process to determine if an applicant should move forward in the hiring process. Most employment applications also inquire about an applicant’s prior convictions. However, more and more state and local governments are adopting bans on employer inquiries […]
Department of Labor Releases Overtime Final Rule
On September 24, 2019, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the long-awaited final rule on overtime and the salary level threshold for exempt workers. This final rule will become effective on January 1, 2020. Under the new rule, an estimated 1.3 million additional workers will be eligible for an estimated $298.8 million in overtime pay. […]
The Complex Web of Paid Family and Medical Leave Laws
Several states have now enacted laws mandating that employers provide paid family and medical leave (FML). These laws generally apply to employers in or out-of-state with 1 or more employees working in that state. It is important for Wisconsin employers to carefully manage their leave policies when they have employees in other states. States that […]
Tread Carefully on Independent Contractor Classifications
Employers should carefully review their practice of classifying a worker as an independent contractor. The increased scrutiny over worker misclassifications is spreading across the country, as states are grappling with how to attract a modern workforce and prevent employers from misclassifying workers to avoid some of the burdens of conventional employment. California is a stark […]
U.S. Supreme Court to Rule on LGBTQIA Workplace Protections
The United States Supreme Court recently announced that it will hear three cases that address whether Title VII of the Civil Rights Act applies to workplace discrimination claims based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Two consolidated cases from the 2nd Circuit (CT, NY, and VT) and 11th Circuit (AL, FL, and GA) involve discrimination […]
Hannah Joins the Team
We are excited to announce the addition of Hannah L. Renfro, J.D. to the Lake Effect HR & Law team! Hannah has over 15 years of experience representing clients on a wide range of matters, including employment litigation; crisis and communication management; governmental relations; compliance and risk management; strategies for hiring and retaining staff; and […]
You’ve Got Mail… Gulp!
You’ve Got Mail… Gulp! This March, employers around the country began receiving letters, the likes of which they have not seen in 7 years. These letters are not so affectionately known as “Social Security No Match Letters,” but are officially referred to as “Employer Correction Request Notices (EDCOR)” by the Social Security Administration. A sample can […]
