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...
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Overtime requirements under the Workforce Opportunity Wage Act
Under Michigan law, employees are eligible to receive overtime at a rate of one-and-one-half times their general hourly wage. That being said, employers are only obligated to pay their employees overtime in cases in which there is a voluntary, written agreement in...
What does retaliation look like?
Employees and employers don't always see eye to eye on employment decisions. Often, there is very little workers can do in these situations besides seeking an explanation from the employer.However, in cases where an employment decision actually violates an employee's...
Overtime compensation and the Fair Labor Standards Act
Although the state minimum wage in Michigan currently stands at $8.15 per hour, federal minimum wage holds still at $7.25, a rate it's been at since 2009. The Federal Labor Standards Act is the law that governs both overtime and minimum wage for nearly all businesses...
The heavy truth about your weight
After working hard to get through college, you were proud of your degree and felt prepared for the line of work you chose. However, things may not be turning out as you expected. Your job search has been frustrating. After what seemed like a great interview, you...
Can you be fired for taking sick days?
The United States, unlike Europe, is an "at will" country which means that employers are free to hire and fire at will. Similarly, workers are free to apply and quit at will. The only restrictions are a handful of minimum anti-discrimination statutes and their...
Your rights at it relates to filing a sexual harassment claim
Sexual harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is a form of sexual discrimination. The Act is applicable to those companies, including state and local governments and agencies, that have 15 or more employees. Sexual harassment results when your...
Your rights under whistleblower retaliation laws
Often times employers are less than enthusiastic when they find out that an employee has reported violations to an established agency. Termination of that employee is generally the result. Fortunately, for those who have been the victim of unlawful termination, the...
Can you be fired for taking sick days?
The United States, unlike Europe, is an "at will" country which means that employers are free to hire and fire at will. Similarly, workers are free to apply and quit at will. The only restrictions are a handful of minimum anti-discrimination statutes and their...
Understanding what age discrimination is in the workplace
Age discrimination can happen on both sides of the scale, to both young and old alike. In general, employers are not permitted to hire, fire, promote, demote or calculate wages based upon an employee's age. Unfortunately, determining whether a employer's decision was...