In Minnesota noncompete agreements are disfavored, but they are legal if they meet strict standards set by the courts. Before talking about those standards, it is important to define what a noncompete agreement is. A noncompete agreement (sometimes known as a...
Under Minnesota law, wage theft occurs when an employer engages in certain actions that deprive an employee of his or her hard-earned wages. For example, wage theft occurs when an employer, with intent to defraud an employee: fails to pay his or her wages, salary,...
Local Minimum Wages OK'dThe Minneapolis minimum wage ordinance has been upheld by the Minnesota Supreme Court. The ordinance was passed in June, 2017, and over time it phases in a $15.00 per hour minimum wage for any employee who performs at least two hours of work in...
The Minnesota Department of Health has announced that effective August, 2020 chronic pain and macular degeneration will be qualifying conditions under the state's medical cannabis law. Therefore, people diagnosed with those conditions will soon be eligible for medical...
The United States Department of Labor announced yesterday its much-awaited final rule increasing the salary requirements for "white collar" exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The final rule will: Raise the "standard salary level" from the currently...
Minnesota's new wage theft law began taking effect July 1, 2019. It imposes new record keeping and hiring requirements, plus the potential for fines and jail time for violators.To help employers understand their obligations, Swenson Lervick is hosting a luncheon...
During its 2019 Special Session, the Minnesota Legislature passed a new law that imposes significant new wage theft, recordkeeping and payroll requirements on employers. These new obligations will go into effect on July 1 (the criminal sanction parts go into...
Registration is now open for the 16th Annual West Central Minnesota Employment Law update to be held June 5, 2019 at Broadway Ballroom in Alexandria, MN.This year's topics and speakers will be:Hot off the Press: Employment Law News You Can Use (Tom Jacobson) 10 Tough...
Without question, some of the nastiest cases we've handled have started with office romance gone bad. It makes perfect sense; two people break off a romantic relationship but are then expected to get along in the same workplace. One may feel jilted - the other,...
By: Tom Jacobson, Attorney In my 28+ years of practice as an attorney, I have reviewed countless employee handbooks and other workplace policies, and one of the most problematic areas has always been the probationary period. It's a problem because in most cases it...
