Last week, we were reminded of the impact of the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division enforcement activities. The agency announced that National Freight, Inc. will pay more than $1,000,000 in back wages to 359 workers following a Division investigation of the company’s classification and overtime practices. An investigation of a pay-to-work scheme affecting farmworkers from the Dominican Republic resulted in a finding that a Foley, Minnesota farm owes the workers $576,000 in back wages and other restitution. In Nebraska, an investigation of wage violations and worker intimidation resulted in a payment of $250,000 to 89 farmworkers by Daniels Produce.
Discrimination
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Illinois has passed
legislation, effective January 1, 2017, that extends anti-discrimination protections to domestic workers.
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In an unusual development, the EEOC has
sued a Michigan employer for failing to abide by a voluntary settlement agreement reached in a suit alleging race and age discrimination and retaliation.
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To settle a sexual harassment and retaliation suit brought by the EEOC,
a Baltimore restaurant has agreed to pay $200,000 and allow an independent monitor to investigate harassment concerns.
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Robin Shea reminded readers what can happen when an
employer does a bad job of investigating a sexual harassment complaint.
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Technology:
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Fitness and sleep trackers may improve worker productivity and wellness, but only 46% of employees would accept a
wearable if their employers had access to the data.
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In Other Developments:
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Graduate students at private universities can unionize, according to a recent
ruling from the National Labor Relations Board.
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The National Labor Relations Board announced it will change the way it
calculates lost wages in unlawful termination cases.
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Lexology reported on
new posters that the Department of Labor now requires. Employers must display new posters on the federal minimum wage and federal law prohibiting polygraph testing.
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