Despite a lot of negative connotations that exist about people speaking out against whistleblowers, they are a valuable part of the thread of the American workplace. Whistleblowers do a lot to help prevent crimes and protect potential victims of a variety of crimes...
From our offices in the Detroit area, Akeel & Valentine, PLC serves clients nationwide.
Month: February 2017
Employment rights of immigrants and equal employment laws
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces federal laws aimed at protecting immigrants from employment discrimination or harassment on several grounds. These include on the basis of gender, age, religion, color, race, national origin, physical or mental...
Michigan probation officer alleges racial discrimination
Monday, February 6, 2017 marked the filing of yet another lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Corrections in recent months. This most recent one, filed by a female probation officer, alleges racial discrimination at the hands of both her supervisor and another...
Whistleblowing while you work
When something at work just doesn't seem right, you may wonder what to do. Maybe you have brought the discrepancy to the attention of your supervisor, but he or she dismissed your complaint or warned you not to talk about it. If you continue to see managers or...
Female restaurant workers experience exploitation on many fronts
Sexual harassment is a serious issue in the restaurant industry. More than 90 percent of females working at restaurants have reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment at some point during their employment. The harassment comes from a variety of...
Independent contractor or employee: which are you?
One of the age-old questions for workers is how they are classified, are you an employee or an independent contractor? Believe or not, but that classification significantly impacts your rights as a worker. Employees are entitled greater protections whereas independent...
Whistleblowers: Standing up for what’s Right
Whistleblowers get a bad rap and face a lot of challenges with their employment. Luckily, there are ways to protect and defend these courageous agents of ethics. What is a Whistleblower?A whistleblower is essentially an employee that witnesses or becomes wise to...
What is Workplace Discrimination?
Workplace discrimination is the treatment of employees either by employers or fellow employees, in which the victim is punished or harassed on an unethical and illegal basis. Although workplace discrimination is illegal on both the state and federal levels, it is an...
What employees are exempt under the FLSA?
As an employee, you're at least somewhat familiar with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which governs things like overtime pay, child labor and minimum wage. Making sure your employer is compliant with the FLSA is extremely important but the ins and outs of the...
Sculptor lawsuit alleges gender discrimination in workplace
A sculptor at General Motors filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against the auto-making giant on Jan. 11, 2017. In it, she called her employer "one of the last old boys' clubs". The lawsuit comes more than three years after the company's landmark appointment of a...