Employee Rights

The Wage and Hour Division (or “WDH”) administers several laws within the Department of Labor. If you have a wage and hour complaint, then you will likely file a complaint with them. This article will go over some basic information regarding the WHD and filing complaints. You can speak freely with WHD employees. Everything you say to them is confidential.…

With the summer coming up, the tradition of high school students working part-time or seasonal jobs is kicking off. This is a tradition that goes all the way back to when families began migrating to cities and schools began offering summer breaks. But it’s important to remember that young workers are a specially protected group under the Fair Labor Standards…

Spring is in the air, but cold snaps and harsh weather remains a real possibility. The CDC released some tips for working safely out in the elements. As discussed in a prior article, cold weather illnesses can sneak up on you. Vigilance and adherence to safety procedures are the key to ensuring that you and your co-workers don’t suffer permanent damage.…

Frostbite is the second most common cold-based injury. As discussed in a prior article, winter brings with it a whole host of new and unexpected injuries. In addition to the increased risk of crashing your vehicle or getting a concussion slipping on some black ice, you also must contend with the elements. The human body can generate its own heat.…

Everyone falls on hard times at some point. Some people are fortunate to have friends and family to support them and others are grateful for government support. One of these support programs is unemployment insurance. Most employers must pay into the unemployment insurance fund. This is what allows workers to get temporary benefits while they search for new a job.…

You are entitled to a generally safe work environment, as enshrined by OSHA and other similar laws. This means that your employer must take reasonable steps to ensure your safety and to address danger areas. Usually this means providing safety goggles and putting up warning signs. But, during the winter this can become more involved. Working outside in the winter…

The United States occupies many first place positions in the world, most powerful military, biggest economy and most influential culture. However, there is one place it sits dead last, paid family leave from work. The U.S. is the only developed economy not to require paid family leave. Families every day are forced into impossible choices between caring for a sick…

Ensuring that construction sites and other workplaces are as safe as possible is a lofty, but worthwhile ambition. In 1970, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was conceived as an entity to investigate improper workplace safety and to promulgate minimum safety regulations. OSHA enforces regulations related to many aspects of workplace safety. There are a variety of areas of compliance…

The government wants you to work. It also does not want you to fall into poverty. That is why it provides unemployment insurance and attaches strings to it. One of which is that you must be actively pursuing a new job. What happens if you are an electrical engineer and you are offered a job at a burger joint? Are…

If you are a temporary employee, your status is typically different from if you were seasonal. Temporary employees, or “temps,” are typically hired as a stopgap to temporarily replace a worker that suddenly left or is temporarily on leave. This post will go over the factors that go into being a temp. Hopefully, you will be better armed to discern…