Buckley Bala Wilson Mew LLP Files Lawsuit Against the City of Decatur on Behalf of a 20-Year Firefighter
Ed Buckley and Andrew Tate filed a new lawsuit against the City of Decatur on behalf of our client, a 20-year Decatur firefighter, after the City stripped her of 90% of her pension. Lt. Bridgit Christensen suffered a severe spinal injury when responding to a call in her firetruck. After her doctor declared her permanently…
Read MoreCan I Get Fired for Being Sick in Georgia?
While some states mandate that employers provide a certain number of paid or unpaid sick leave for employees per year, Georgia – at least in the private sector – is not among them. Public employees accrue five hours of sick leave per pay period by law, but employees of private employers are entitled to no…
Read MoreCommon Wage and Hour Violations
The last several years have reported substantial increases in wage and hour violations. The majority of these claims are based on violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The FLSA sets forth numerous regulations protecting workers. These include laws that require workers earn at least the federal minimum wage and non-exempt workers receive overtime…
Read MoreFederal Legislation Banning Hairstyle Discrimination Introduced
A growing number of states are considering or have adopted laws prohibiting hair style discrimination. Advocates for the ban explain that black Americans have been discriminated against based on how their hair grows naturally, and that such a law is necessary to ensure protection. Discriminatory incidents have occurred across the country, in schools, at sporting…
Read MoreFLSA Violations are Common in Health Care Industry
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides many wage and hour provisions that apply to nearly all workers in the United States. Two main considerations include that workers be paid at least minimum wage and that non-exempt workers who work more than 40-hours in any work week be paid overtime compensation (typically one and one-half…
Read MoreNew Wage and Hour Laws Take Effect
As of January 2020, new provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) will take effect. The FLSA has numerous provisions, ensuring that workers earn at least minimum wage and non-exempt employees receive overtime pay at a rate of one and one-half times their standard rate of pay. Recently, the law was amended, raising the…
Read MoreWhen are Ageist Slurs Evidence of Discrimination?
Recently the phrase “Ok, boomer” has exploded in use – with it becoming a generational put-down against older Americans who seem out of touch with issues of the day. The phrase has been used by younger generations to refer to baby boomers, who are currently 55-73 years old. This slur has now made it into…
Read MoreRetaliation May be Easier to Prove Than Discrimination
Federal anti-discrimination law such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects against various forms of discrimination. This includes prohibitions against sex, race, gender, religion and national origin. One of the ways the law protects you is that it not only forbids taking these factors into consideration when making employment related decisions,…
Read MoreFast Food Chain to pay $7.7M for Misclassifiying Employees
In a recent wage and hour lawsuit, a fast food company agreed to pay more than $7.7M to settle a lawsuit based on misclassification. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), provides that all employees must be paid at least minimum wage, and that all non-exempt employees be paid overtime compensation at a rate of one…
Read MoreLaws Protect Veterans from Discrimination
Veterans often face many challenges after returning from military service, including acclimating to civilian life, obtaining quality medical care, and starting and/or resuming a previous career. Fortunately, federal laws exist which have been designed to help veterans in the workplace, including ensuring they are not victims of discrimination, and allowing federal employers to give preferential…
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