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...]
Relying on the Statute of Limitations: Employees Beware
Employees who believe they have claims against their employers or former employers need to consider how long they can wait before filing a formal claim, either in court or with an agency like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR), or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In discrimination or whistleblower cases, the statute of limitations (SOL) typically begins to run … [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...]
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA”) is a new law that expands protections for pregnant workers throughout the country. This law requires covered employers to provide “reasonable accommodations” to a worker’s known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation will cause the employer an “undue hardship.” Let’s breakdown the facets of this law. Covered Employer In this … [Read more...]
New Minnesota Pregnancy Accommodations and Nursing Mother Rights Take Effect
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...]
