Celebrating Dedication: Receiving the Karla Wahl Dedicated Advocacy Award Receiving the Karla Wahl Dedicated Advocacy Award holds deep personal and professional significance for me. This accolade is especially meaningful because it comes from my peers in the Minnesota chapter of the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA). NELA members focus on plaintiff-side employment advocacy, representing employees rather than employers. This … [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...]
What to Do When Your Boss Sexually Harasses You
There are few workplace experiences more terrifying than when a boss abuses power and subjects a subordinate employee to sexual harassment. This power imbalance can make the employee feel like he or she has to tolerate the harassment, or worse, give in to these advances in order to keep the job or advance at the company. Thankfully, the law governing sexual harassment provides significant rights and legal protections in this scenario, and the … [Read more...]
Defenses to Employment Claims Don’t Always Focus on the Merits
Employment Attorneys representing plaintiffs in employment claims understandably focus on the merits of the underlying claim(s), looking for evidence that helps prove that discrimination or retaliation has occurred. While this is tremendously important, there are defenses which companies often assert which don’t relate to the merits of the case but can seriously limit the recoverable damages when the underlying claim is proven. This blog presents … [Read more...]
The Future of Mandatory Arbitration is in Doubt
On March 27, 2022, the US House of Representatives passed the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal (FAIR) Act, which now goes to the Senate for consideration. If signed into law, the FAIR Act would prohibit enforcement of arbitration agreements covering employment, consumer, antitrust or civil rights disputes. This would expressly cover employment discrimination claims, which are defined in the Act as civil rights disputes. The Fair Act Expands … [Read more...]
