While almost all states provide some sort of protection for workers belonging to a protected class (whether age, sex, race, disability, or other characteristic), the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) offers some of the strongest protections for workers in the country. The MHRA is one of the key tools that the employment attorneys at Schaefer Halleen have to hold employers accountable—and it just got stronger. On May 15, 2024, … [Read more...]
FACING TERMINATION WHEN YOU ARE OVER 50
Getting older can be hard, both personally and professionally. While many of us over 50 feel like we are just hitting our prime in terms of experience and confidence, we are sometimes viewed as part of the “old guard,” less innovative than or energetic than our younger counterparts. It’s also undisputed that the costs associated with retaining older employees are higher, whether measured by salary or the cost of benefits. There is therefore … [Read more...]
Attorneys can help you with the EEOC
If you find yourself in the difficult and demoralizing position of experiencing discrimination or retaliation in the workplace, you have options for exercising your rights and pursuing claims against your employer. One of these options is the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”)[1]. The EEOC helps enforce federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or employee because of the individual’s race, … [Read more...]
What’s the Role of Constructive Discharge in Disparate-Treatment Claims?: The Minnesota Supreme Court explains in Henry v. Independent School District #625
Employment-discrimination cases often involve a complicated combination of legal concepts. The Minnesota Supreme Court recently addressed the interaction of several such concepts, including constructive discharge, hostile work environment, and disparate treatment, in the age-discrimination case Henry v. Independent School District #625. After providing background on age discrimination claims, this blog post explains the Court’s decision and its … [Read more...]
How to Prove Age Discrimination in the Workplace
Age discrimination is one of the most common types of workplace discrimination. It involves treating an employee less favorably because of his or her age. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”) forbids age discrimination against people who are forty or older. Minnesota state law protects employees who are over eighteen from age discrimination under the Minnesota Human Rights Act (“MHRA”). Both the ADEA and the MHRA prohibit … [Read more...]
