For invitations to our events and updates on key legal issues and business concerns:
Please Click HerePosted on May 1, 2015 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The United States Senate has confirmed Lauren McFerran as the fifth member of the National Labor Relations Board. The Board now stands fully staffed with a majority being labeled pro-employee. This means “beware” for employers. The confirmation of Lauren McFerran as Obama’s appointment to the National Labor Relations Board sets the stage for more pro-union […]
Posted on May 1, 2015 by Ruder Ware Alumni
There has been a lot of discussion about independent contractor status and initiatives by the Department of Labor to investigate whether a particular worker has been improperly classified as an independent contractor and not an employee of a company. The State of Wisconsin has signed on to cooperate directly with the Department of Labor in […]
Posted on May 1, 2015 by Sara J. Ackermann
A California law that recently took effect requires company supervisors to undergo anti-bullying training. Mandated training is nothing new for California employers. Since 2005, California has required employers with 50 or more employees to conduct sexual harassment training of supervisors within 6 months of assuming a supervisory position and biennially thereafter. However, the new law […]
Posted on April 29, 2015 by Mary Ellen Schill
Expert? Guru? While I’d like to think that I merit those descriptions when it relates to the Affordable Care Act, I know for a fact that there is a lot about the ACA that, as they say, “keeps me up at night.” The practice of law is just that, practice, and practicing in the area […]
Posted on April 29, 2015 by Ruder Ware Alumni
“Ban the box” legislation has become popular throughout the country. Fifteen states and a number of local jurisdictions have adopted legislation that involves arrest and conviction record discrimination and specifically “bans the box” that must be checked on an employment application if an applicant has been arrested or convicted of a crime. Many employers have […]
Posted on April 29, 2015 by Ruder Ware Alumni
A recent decision from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals addressed whether employees performing certain activities during a meal break must be compensated in the form of pay for that work. Fortunately, the Court of Appeals held in favor of the employer when security guards were asking for pay while on a meal break because […]
Posted on April 29, 2015 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals issued its decision on February 4 in a consolidated appeal that allows permanent partial disability benefits to be “stacked” where revision prosthetic surgical procedures were necessary. The effect of the ruling is to double permanent partial disability benefits. Three workers had prostheses resulting from compensable industrial injuries: John Blasius had […]
Posted on April 29, 2015 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The United States Chamber of Commerce and several trade associations have filed a motion for summary judgment in a federal court in Washington D.C. seeking to overturn the “quickie election” rules recently adopted by the National Labor Relations Board. These rules are scheduled to go into effect on April 14 and are designed to create […]
Posted on April 29, 2015 by Ruder Ware Alumni
A recent report issued by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission shows that retaliation claims are the largest number of claims that are brought to the EEOC for consideration. Sex discrimination claims rank second and disability discrimination claims rank third, but for the second year, retaliation claims are the most prevalent claims that are brought to […]
Posted on April 29, 2015 by Ruder Ware Alumni
We’ve all heard of the concept of “paying for the sins of our ancestors.” Well, in that same vein, the federal Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals [which presides over Wisconsin employers] recently concluded that a Wisconsin restaurant company is liable for its predecessor’s past act of workplace reprisal, in response to an employee’s complaint concerning […]