As any mom can tell you, simply existing as a pregnant person, much less working a full-time job, can be utterly exhausting. Fortunately, there are several laws (both federal and state) that offer some protections for pregnant employees in Michigan. We’ll go over these protections, as well as some workplace rights you have after you’ve given birth.  Federal and State Pregnancy Discrimination Laws Under federal law, Read More

The hardest part for many personal injury victims and their loved ones is the financial crunch they experience in the aftermath of the accident or event that caused the injury. Medical bills are almost always a main contributor to that financial stress, and lost income often plays a big part, as well. Calculating lost income is simpler when you are an employee and get paid a set amount at regular intervals. Sole Read More

Oftentimes, real progress in Michigan and throughout the U.S. happens due to the actions of brave individuals who risk their employment and livelihoods to expose illegal or immoral actions on the part of companies. These people have come to be referred to as “whistleblowers.” You don’t have to bring attention to criminal wrongdoing in a large federal agency to be recognized as a whistleblower — something as simple as Read More

Employers do not always have their employees' best interests at hand, even though they should. To fight this, there are federal laws in place that forbid employers from treating their employees differently because of their race, religion, color, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or disability. If someone believes their current or former employer broke the law by discriminating against them, they have Read More

The landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 instituted protections for a number of Americans in designated protected classes of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin. These protected classes mean that individuals cannot be discriminated against on the basis of their membership in one of these protected classes.  Since that law’s passage, countless state and federal laws have been passed to strengthen protections Read More

There is nothing that completely takes away the sting of losing your job, but a severance package can offer a departing employee a temporary insurance policy, of sorts, to help them make it to the next chapter in his or her life. Many people who are being terminated from their positions at work likely do not have much experience with severance packages; as a result, they might commit an error that leaves money or Read More

Most everyone knows that workers who are compensated hourly look forward to working more than 40 hours in a week. When that happens, these hourly workers receive “time-and-a-half” their regular rate of pay for all hours over 40. Conversely, many people believe that salaried workers can only receive the same flat rate of pay each pay period, regardless of the total amount of time actually worked.  This is actually a Read More

As schools across the country are preparing to open up, I have seen that many educators are very concerned about returning to work due to COVID-19 - with good reason. If you have a medical condition which puts you at a high-risk for developing serious complications from COVID-19, you may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation at your place of work, including schools. The Americans with Disabilities Act (commonly Read More

As lockdowns stemming from COVID-19 have been ordered and lifted across Michigan and the country, it is clear that we will be living with this pandemic for quite some time. For employers, the pandemic and its effects have presented some challenges; for example, how do you enact (legal) measures that reduce some health risks while respecting the rights of employees (all while keeping the business running)? To both Read More

There are a mix of federal and state laws which allow members of certain groups to work and apply for jobs without fear of being discriminated against due to their age, race, nationality, religion, and other protected classes. Of course, this does not mean that discrimination in hiring practices has been eliminated, but individuals who were passed over for jobs or terminated have a right to seek legal recourse by Read More