Federal and state wage and hour laws help assure that workers receive their legally-entitled wages and that improper deductions are not made. In a recently-filed federal lawsuit, a housekeeper sued Grammy-winning Rev. Marvin Williams and his Perfecting Church for...
Employee And Union Rights
Employee And Union Rights
Year: 2018
Nurse charges patient request is discrimination
A hospital seems to be an unlikely place for workplace discrimination. But, an African-American nurse charged that a Dearborn hospital violated federal and Michigan employment law when it prevented her from treating a patient who objected to her race. The nurse was a...
Administrative offset may reduce SSDI benefits
Workers with disabilities rely on Social Security to help meet their financial needs. However, the government can withhold Social Security Disability payments and other important benefits under an administrative offset program. Under this program, the government may...
What Is Worker’s Compensation?
In Michigan, it is a no-fault system that compensates injured workers. Worker's compensation is regulated by the states and varies from state to state. In Michigan, workers are covered from the point they pull into their employer's designated parking lot until they...
Unfair balance of power in your employment contract?
Many employer contracts keep too much power for employers in areas such as job termination and arbitration, among others. In Michigan every day, employers offer contracts to prospective employees. Often, these finalists have gone through a competitive process that...
Limiting worker speech
An employee's right to speak does not end when they get a job or report to work. Employment law has some protections that covers certain speech, but workers also need to know its restrictions. The First Amendment protects speech from government intrusion and applies...
Disability expert testimony before U.S. Supreme Court
Expert testimony can play a vital role in determining whether a person is eligible for Social Security Disability benefits. In fact, the US Supreme Court agreed to rule on an appeal involving these witnesses. At issue is whether vocational expert testimony, without...
Michigan Supreme Court lets whistleblower case go forward
This month, the Michigan Supreme Court declined to examine a Michigan Court of Appeals opinion that permitted a case under the state's whistleblower laws to proceed. The case appears to have expanded what it means to "report" under the Michigan Whistleblower...
Michigan claimants struggle to obtain SSDI benefits
Michigan workers who are injured or become ill while on the job are able to use workers' compensation for medical and financial assistance. The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program, which is administered by the Social Security Administration, is...
Michigan is 21st in nation when it comes to workplace safety
Michigan and the Detroit area have long been hubs of manufacturing in the United States. Unfortunately, a worker-friendly citizenry does not always translate to worker-friendly employment. When it comes to workplace safety, for instance, Michigan is slightly above the...