The city of St. Paul will pay former a police officer $60,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed in 2013. Attorney Patrick Burns stated that the lawsuit was intended to bring attention to the ongoing problem of discrimination, particularly in settings like...
Employment Law
Employment Law
More employers are using non-compete agreements
It is not unusual for Twin Cities employers to use non-compete agreements to prevent their employees from taking business secrets and contacts to competitors. Non-compete clauses are often found in employment contracts in the technology sector as well as in those for...
Minnesota employers must understand workers’ comp obligations
Many employers in the Twin Cities do not quite understand their legal responsibilities when it comes to hiring and firing. It is hard to expect them to, as employment regulations involve a complex intersection of ever-evolving Minnesota state and federal laws....
Five Richfield Police Officers Sue the City for Age Discrimination
Five Richfield Police officers are suing the City of Richfield for age discrimination. They say they were denied promotions and special assignments because of their ages. The case was filed in Hennepin County court late last year. It includes Officers Greg Peterson,...
What Minnesota employers need to know about background checks
Many small employers in Minnesota mistakenly think that because Minnesota is an at-will employment state, employers can hire and fire employees on their own terms. The truth is that employment relationships are governed to a certain degree by both state and federal...
Is your unpaid internship program legal in Minnesota?
It's hard to believe it with all of this gloomy weather, but summer has almost arrived in Minnesota. For a great number of college students, this means that it is time to begin a summer internship. Many Twin Cities employers offer internships as a way to provide an...
Minnesota lawmakers to vote on employment reforms this week
Many Minnesota business owners are paying attention to the state Legislature this week as lawmakers decide on several significant employment law reforms. At stake are increases in minimum wage, overtime pay and parental leave. Earlier today, the House Ways and Means...
Veterans Day: Considering Employing a Veteran?
Yesterday was Veterans Day, a time to remember the courageous men and women who fought for our freedom and security. Due to their sacrifice, the federal and state governments ask employers to take steps to give veterans jobs. But can an employer choose to hire a...
Unemployment Benefits and Progressive Discipline
In a recent decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court clarified that a former employee can be denied eligibility for unemployment benefits if he engaged in "employment misconduct," even where the employer terminated the former employee in violation of its own progressive...
Unemployed Need Not Apply? EEOC Mulls Impact of Excluding Jobless
With the economic recovery taking longer than virtually anyone anticipated, unemployment remains a massive problem, both in Minnesota and across the country. The current U.S. unemployment rate is holding steady at approximately 9 percent. However, this is the...