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Please Click HerePosted on January 12, 2010 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Many states in the nation have adopted laws that address an employee’s duty of loyalty to his or her employer. Wisconsin courts have generally taken a restrictive view on such a duty. However, the courts have applied it to officers of a company and employees who hold positions that involve policy making. Recently, the Wisconsin […]
Posted on December 31, 2009 by Ruder Ware Alumni
In Ledbetter v. Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., No. 05-1074 (U.S. May 29, 2007), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that for purposes of calculating an employee’s 180-day time limit for bringing a Title VII claim, the employer’s initial unlawful decision to set the employee’s pay, rather than each subsequent issuance of a paycheck based on […]
Posted on October 29, 2009 by Ruder Ware Alumni
On October 28, 2009, President Obama signed the Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2647) into law. H.R. 2647 expands the leave rights of employees for certain family members in the armed forces under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Military Exigency Leave Expansion Currently, the federal FMLA provides an […]
Posted on July 9, 2009 by Ruder Ware Alumni
Most employers in Wisconsin recently revised their Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) policy and forms to comply with the revised federal regulations that became effective on January 16, 2009. This was the first revision to the federal regulations since they were issued by the Department of Labor back in 1996. Therefore, employers felt they […]
Posted on June 23, 2009 by Ruder Ware Alumni
We are providing an update regarding the discussions over potential changes to state law impacting collective bargaining for school districts. As you know, the State Senate and State Assembly are meeting this week to consider compromises to the state Budget Bills adopted by each entity to see if they can reach an amicable compromise […]
Posted on June 11, 2009 by Ruder Ware Alumni
As of May 26, 2010, Wisconsin law prohibits employers from discriminating against employees who do not wish to attend religious or political meetings, or take part in any communication regarding religious or political matters. If an employee refuses to attend a religious or political meeting or participate in communications on such matters at the request […]
Posted on June 11, 2009 by Sara J. Ackermann
On Monday, June 8, 2009, Governor Doyle signed 2009 Wisconsin Act 20 (“the Act”), which amends the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act (“WFEA”) by permitting employees in employment discrimination, unfair genetic testing, and unfair honesty testing cases to seek and be awarded compensatory and punitive damages. Before this law, employees in Wisconsin were only entitled to […]
Posted on May 18, 2009 by Sara J. Ackermann
In a recent informal opinion letter, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) held that an employer violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) when it required employees to undertake a health risk assessment (“HRA”) as a condition of participating in the employer s group health plan. Facts: The employer had implemented an HRA which included […]
Posted on March 23, 2009 by Ruder Ware Alumni
The Department of Labor’s (DOL) revisions to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations became effective January 16, 2009. The revisions are extensive. Significant changes were made that impact an employer’s responsibilities under the law. In addition to adopting regulations that implement the new military call-to-duty and military caregiver FMLA leaves, the important […]
Posted on March 5, 2009 by Ruder Ware Alumni
At the end of 2008, it is estimated that the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) lost $18.6 billion as a result of the turndown in the economy. This estimate reflects a -26.2% return in 2008. In light of these losses, the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Employee Trust Funds board, Mr. David Stella, reported that […]