Minneapolis Wrongful Termination Law Blog

One of the biggest issues over which Minnesota workers embark on a dispute with their employer is due to an overtime claim. Since unpaid overtime can violate employee rights, it is imperative to understand the law and when it is possible to lodge a claim to receive what is owed.

A significant part of that is to know how the United States Department of Labor determines when workers should receive overtime pay. Another issue is how employers might try to manipulate worker hours and use technicalities to avoid paying. When there is a disagreement about overtime, having legal help can sift through it and assist workers in getting what they are owed.

To follow up on a recent post, some experts say that the persistent problem of age discrimination in the workplace could adversely affect Minnesota's economy. At present, this state has about 140,000 unfilled positions, yet only about 70,000 people are actively looking for work. Should this trend continue, by 2024 Minnesota will have a shortfall of about 400,000 jobs, with 2.7 million people available to fill 3.1 million positions.

Adults who are in their 60s and 70s currently account for about 25% of the workplace, and people in this age group could be used to fill many of these open positions that are on the horizon. However, the trouble is that there is a continued perception, or prejudice, that older workers do not contribute to the value of a corporation in the same way that younger workers can.

People above a certain age in Minnesota and across the nation will be aware of the possibility that their age could be a hindrance in their employment. Although age discrimination is illegal, it still happens frequently. While justifications could be provided by employers and others in a position of power in a workplace, if there is suspicion or proof that a person's age had a negative effect on their employment or attempts to get a job, it could be the basis to file a lawsuit to seek their employee rights.

A new study from Hiscox shows that age discrimination is not limited to individuals, but could be a systemic issue. The researchers found that for people over 40, 21 percent were subjected to age discrimination at work. And, 80 percent stated that it hindered their ability to rise in their career.

The #MeToo movement, which has involved a backlash against sexual harassment at the workplace, has generally been a good thing, especially for women. In a wide range of work environments, the #MeToo movement has made it more likely that both men and women will report sexual harassment promptly and will try to avoid even the appearance of inappropriate behavior.

However, one possible drawback to the movement, if it can be described as such, is that some men and even a handful of women with hiring authority have indicated that they are willing to discriminate against women, ostensibly to avoid sexual harassment claims. Specifically, over 20% of men and 12% of women with hiring authority admitted that they would be less likely to hire women when the position would require traveling or other close collaboration with the opposite sex. Of course, there may be many others who would be unwilling to admit this form of bias.