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Smile, You’re On Camera: Best Practices for Workplace Video Surveillance in Michigan

Preventing theft, avoiding frivolous lawsuits, increasing productivity, and improving workplace safety: these are all important objectives that employers in Michigan hope to achieve through monitoring their workers and work environments often with video surveillance. While video surveillance can be an important asset for an employer, it can also lead to liability if your surveillance program runs afoul of the law. Read More ›

Categories: Cybersecurity, Employee Handbook, Employment, Labor Relations, Privacy, Technology

Conflict at Work: Is it Harassment or is it Bullying?

Employers have known for a long time the legal implications of harassment in the workplace. And, while bullying gets considerable attention in schools, it is only now starting to gain attention in the workplace. But employers must be aware that ignoring bullying in the workplace may also expose them to significant legal liability. Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Employment, Harassment, Lawsuit, Liability

Recent Changes to Michigan's Paid Medical Leave Requirements

On December 14, 2018, Governor Snyder signed into law the Paid Medical Leave Act ("PMLA"), which requires certain Michigan employers to provide paid medical leave to eligible employees. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Employee Handbook

What Every Michigan Employer Should Know About Occupational Safety and Health in the Workplace

Regardless of working environment, be it a construction site or retail store, employers have a responsibility to provide workers with a safe place to work, and workers, likewise, must adhere to workplace health and safety guidance. Nonetheless, accidents, injuries and illnesses occur in the workplace. Read More ›

Categories: OSHA and MIOSHA

U.S. Department of Labor Issues New Rules Concerning Association Health Plans

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued final regulations that expanded the availability of association health plans ("AHPs"). Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Employment, Health Insurance Exchange

The Consequences of Misclassifying an Employee as an Independent Contractor

Due to increased scrutiny from state and federal government agencies and high profile cases involving companies such as Uber, UPS and FedEx Ground, businesses are becoming increasingly concerned over proper classification of workers. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Employment, Labor Relations, Lawsuit, Liability, Wage and Hour

The Return of the Unpaid Internship

For the past eight years, the U.S. Department of Labor (the "DOL") followed a strict six-part test to determine whether a for-profit employer could use interns without compensating them for the services they provided. Read More ›

Categories: Department of Labor, Employee Handbook, Employment, Fashion, Labor Relations

Laid-off teacher says school district didn’t follow evaluation process — and court agrees

There’s a reason why school districts are required to provide fair, transparent and timely teacher evaluations — and it’s not just to make sure instructors are doing their best. It’s because it’s the law. And, as the Michigan Court of Appeals made clear in a recent published decision, not following through with teacher evaluations is actionable.  Read More ›

Categories: Compliance, Did you Know?, Employment, Lawsuit

Classification Risk: Employees or Independent Contractors

Are they employees or independent contractors? It’s a question that many employers grapple with as they attempt to properly classify members of their workforce. Read More ›

Categories: Employee Benefits, Employment, Wage and Hour

VCP Fee Change Represents Opportunity for Larger Plans

VCP is a program offered by the IRS to allow sponsors of qualified retirement plans (401(k)/ 403(b) plans) to correct retirement plan errors. An applicant must disclose the mistake in writing and then correct the failure and pay a fee. Read More ›

Categories: Compliance, Employee Benefits, Tax