Minneapolis Wrongful Termination Law Blog

Discrimination in the workplace is prohibited by many different state and federal laws. Minnesota workers cannot be discriminated against in their jobs based on their age, gender, race, religious affiliation or a number of other protected classifications. When discrimination threatens the work of a person, they may have options under the law to protect their rights.

Disability discrimination is a major problem that can affect men and women who may have to face medical or intellectual hurdles just to function in modern society. Disability discrimination can prevent a person from achieving promotions or from getting preferred work assignments. It can occur when individuals do not actually suffer from disabilities but are perceived to suffer from such conditions.

Simply put, people work to make money. The Fair Labor Standards Act or FLSA is a federal law that ensures that American workers are compensated for the tasks they perform at work. Workers can be compensated in different ways and may hold different work responsibilities that affect how they are classified under the law. Some workers are eligible to receive overtime, which is increased pay for hours worked beyond the individuals' standard work periods.

Minnesota residents may be eligible for overtime under the FLSA if they meet the requirements of a three-part test. First, they must be considered nonexempt. That qualification is generally met by having an annual income below the statutory threshold. Second, a worker must not be salaried. Being salaried generally means that they are guaranteed a minimum amount of money per pay period.

It is not unusual for Minnesota residents to change jobs throughout their careers. In fact, some individuals may plan to go back to school later in life just so that they can enter a new field or pursue different employment paths. Though some individuals start their work lives with particular employers and stick with them until they retire, it is relatively normal for Americans to move from job to job as their needs and expectations change.

One thing that many workers find it hard to prepare for is the loss of their jobs. Layoffs and terminations can throw workers into economic peril if they were unprepared for such actions to be taken against them. Sometimes these unfortunate scenarios arise due to financial issues within companies. However, they sometimes come up when employers wish to get rid of employees that they do not want because of discriminatory intents.

Wrongful terminations can be based on a number of factors, including but not limited to discrimination, retaliation, violations of employment contracts and others. All across Minnesota workers may be released from their jobs and may wonder if the grounds on which their terminations were based were valid or in violation of state and federal laws. When such situations arise, individuals in such difficult positions can seek the counsel of employment attorneys.

However, not every employer who wants to fire an employee for a wrongful reason will actually terminate them. In fact, some employers seek to make their undesired employees so uncomfortable at work that the employees choose to leave on their own volition. When an employer creates an intolerable work situation for an employee with the intent of driving them out or the knowledge of the terrible conditions, a constructive dismissal may occur if the employee leaves their job.