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Workplace Myths: You Can’t Talk About Your Pay

By | 2023-08-15T21:44:41-05:00 August 15th, 2023|Employee Rights, Work Environment|

Whether they started from workplace stigmas or controlling employers, many myths revolving around the workplace keep employees from being comfortable and open with their team members and managers. Today, we are going to focus on one of the most talked about myths within Missouri and the nation– Can you talk about your pay? The topic of pay continues to be a controversial one, but as we are more than halfway through 2023, things need to change. Employees are learning their worth and standing up for themselves now more than ever, and that should extend to the conversation of pay. False: It Is Completely Legal to Talk About Pay This myth is false. Employees are entirely within their rights to talk [...]

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Break, Lunch, and Personal Time Laws in Missouri

By | 2023-08-07T10:06:12-05:00 August 7th, 2023|Employee Rights, Work Environment|

As you take on a new job in Missouri, walk in prepared with knowledge of your rights as an employee. An essential part of our day is recharging throughout it, and we can only do that through breaks and lunch to eat, drink, and get some quick rest from our workload. Breaks are one of the most significant ways to get the best efficiency and productivity from our workers. The last thing any employer wants is burnt-out employees. But what is required through the state of Missouri? Understand your rights as an employee regarding your breaks, lunchtime, and personal time in Missouri. Understanding Missouri Break Laws It may come as a surprise, but Missouri has no legal mandate regarding breaks [...]

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Have workplace laws changed because of the pandemic?

By | 2020-12-09T17:38:37-06:00 December 9th, 2020|Employee Rights, Work Environment|

The pandemic has brought about many shifts in our daily lives and it has affected people in different ways. While there is no doubt that Covid-19 has made a huge impact on the world, it has not changed the laws in place to protect workers at their jobs. Here are just some examples of how the law remains firm. Discrimination can be virtual While much of the workforce shifted their office to their homes at the beginning of the pandemic, many still remain working remotely. For those that are working out of the office, you are still protected from harassment or discrimination that takes place virtually. Inappropriate email chains, text messages, online chats, video calls, and phone calls can all [...]

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Can your employer make you wear a mask at work?

By | 2022-09-27T12:33:23-05:00 May 23rd, 2020|Employee Rights, Work Environment|

While some workplaces have continued to do their essential business, others have remained completely closed, and some continue to work on a fully remote basis. With stay-at-home orders being lifted, many organizations are beginning to open their doors to the public for the first time, so what does that mean for business and how does that affect employees? Here are some things you should know about your rights at the workplace, while we continue to fight the Covid-19 pandemic together. Employers can require employees to wear PPE During a pandemic, employees can be required to wear PPE at work such as masks, gowns, or gloves that are designed to protect employees from a Covid-19 infection. In addition, an employee with [...]

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Can workplace harassment occur in remote teams?

By | 2020-04-21T17:29:22-05:00 April 21st, 2020|Sexual Harassment, Work Environment|

With stay-at-home orders in place, companies around the world are navigating a new way of working, and it isn’t in an office setting. While workplace harassment is normally understood as inappropriate touches in the hallway or lewd jokes in the breakroom, a remote employee can experience unlawful harassment from their home, as well. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), harassment is “unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability or genetic information.” The EEOC continues to say that harassment “becomes unlawful where 1) enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or 2) the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to create a work [...]

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What you should know about workplace retaliation

By | 2020-03-06T21:15:47-06:00 March 6th, 2020|Employee Rights, Work Environment|

The spotlight is often on discriminatory actions or harassment claims, but what about the unlawful repercussions of speaking up? It is against the law for an employer to retaliate against, or punish, an employee for making a discrimination or harassment claim, or for participating in an investigation at their place of work. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), “it is unlawful to retaliate against applicants or employees for: filing or being a witness in an EEO charge, complaint, investigation, or lawsuit communicating with a supervisor or manager about employment discrimination, including harassment answering questions during an employer investigation of alleged harassment refusing to follow orders that would result in discrimination resisting sexual advances, or intervening to protect [...]

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The Department of Labor releases new FLSA changes

By | 2022-09-27T12:33:33-05:00 October 11th, 2019|Work Environment|

Since 2004, there haven’t been any significant changes in the overtime salary thresholds, until recently.  On September 24, 2019, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the long-awaited final overtime rule.  The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to pay time-and-a-half rates to workers making less than a threshold amount for all hours beyond 40/week. The new rule lifts the annual salary threshold, allowing more workers to qualify for overtime wages.  New changes These are the changes that are set to take effect on January 1, 2020. The salary threshold to meet the executive, administrative, or professional exemption will now be $35,568/year or $684/week (an increase from $23,660/year and $455/week). The threshold is slightly higher than the initial draft of [...]

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7 examples of a hostile work environment

By | 2019-01-29T20:01:31-06:00 January 29th, 2019|Employee Rights, Sexual Harassment, Work Environment|

A workplace is legally required to be a safe and comfortable place to work, free from discrimination and harassment. While one-time annoyances do not legally constitute a hostile work environment, you are protected by law if the primary motivation for creating or allowing an unhealthy workplace is discrimination based on the illegal motive of your race, sex, gender, disability, religion or age. What is a hostile work environment? According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “harassment is unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability or genetic information. Harassment becomes unlawful when enduring the offensive conduct becomes a condition of continued employment, or the conduct is severe or pervasive enough to [...]

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The facts about pregnancy discrimination at work

By | 2023-01-24T16:32:13-06:00 September 25th, 2018|Employee Rights, Work Environment|

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, if an applicant or employee is treated unfavorably due to pregnancy, childbirth, or a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, the treatment is classified as pregnancy discrimination. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act states that discrimination can include any aspect of employment such as hiring, firing, salary increase or decrease, job assignment, promotions, demotions, training, leave, and health insurance.   Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Impairments resulting from pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes or preeclampsia, may be classified as disabilities under the ADA. An employer may have to provide reasonable accommodation for a disability related to pregnancy such as leave or modifications so that the employee can complete their job.   Pregnancy discrimination [...]

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6 examples of disability discrimination in the workplace

By | 2023-01-24T16:24:04-06:00 September 19th, 2018|Employee Rights, Work Environment|

6 examples of disability discrimination in the workplace The Americans with Disabilities Act protects you from being discriminated against due to a past, current, or perceived disability. Disability discrimination in the workplace is against the law but unfortunately, that doesn’t deter all violations. Here are 6 examples of disability discrimination and its presence in a work environment. Firing a candidate because of a disability Employers are not permitted to make any job-related decision based on a candidate’s or employee’s disability. This includes hiring decisions, promotions, terminations, and other related aspects of employment. If an employer doesn’t hire a qualified applicant due to a disability, decides to reassign the employee to a lesser role, or fire him or her because of [...]

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