Effective January 1, 2022, workplace protections for expectant and new parents in Minnesota were expanded. As a result of these expanded protections, Minnesota parents no longer have to face the difficult choice between pumping at work to feed their infants or getting paid. The expanded right to pregnancy accommodations also allows more Minnesotans to continue working safely during their pregnancies. The Minnesota Department of Labor and … [Read more...]
Should you sign a severance agreement? Ask an attorney, not the internet!
When losing your job, immediately signing a severance agreement may feel like a good idea. The dreaded moment has arrived: you find yourself sitting across the table from your Human Resources manager, and they have just informed you that you no longer have a job. You feel sick to your stomach as questions race through your mind: “Are my savings ready for unemployment? How am I going to get health insurance? Why is this happening to me?” As … [Read more...]
Employees Are Protected for Reporting Patient-Safety Issues
Healthcare professionals who complain about patient-safety and substandard healthcare are protected against retaliation from their employers. Generally speaking, the Minnesota Whistleblower Act (Minn. Stat. § 181.932) (“MWA”) protects employees who, in good faith, report a violation, suspected violation, or planned violation of law. To be protected, the report must be made to the employee’s employer, a government body, or law enforcement … [Read more...]
Fall 2022 Scholarship Winner: Nathnael Alazar
Nathnael's winning Essay: One of the most integral parts of my youth was spending time with the person who motivated me to enter public service: my father. Despite growing up in war-torn Ethiopia, my father committed to becoming a medical doctor and serving those in need. However, his eyesight soon deteriorated. He was diagnosed with an untreatable macular degeneration, effectively ending his medical career. As my father worked fast food and … [Read more...]
The Meaning and Consequences of Adverse Actions in the Workplace
When employees begin to feel pressure from their supervisors in the workplace, it is difficult to know what to do. Often, the pressure feels unwarranted, unfair, overwhelming, and too often—discriminatory or retaliatory. Despite an employee’s best efforts, the employment relationship may continue to deteriorate to the point where the employee is placed on a performance improvement plan, administrative leave, or worse, demoted or … [Read more...]
