labor lawAdivision of labor law center

The US Department of Labor recently awarded $250,000 to develop strategic economic growth plans for Kentucky and Tennessee. Most of the area affected is in the extreme western tip of Kentucky.

“This $250,000 grant to the West Kentucky Workforce Investment Board will boost efforts to expand the region’s economy and increase job opportunities for Kentucky workers,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao.

The primary focus of the grant is the (more…)

Employers should be aware of two new required US Department of Labor initiatives to promote the hiring of veterans and protect the rights of applicants with disabilities.

Both initiatives were introduced through the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, or OFCCP. This agency enforces regulations that apply to companies with federal contracts in excess of $50,000.

The Good Faith Initiative for Veterans Employment, also known as G-FIVE will help (more…)

Judges normally make rulings on discrimination suits, rather than cause them. But a Nevada judge is turning that truism on its ear. The judge has been charged with creating a hostile work environment and treating courtroom staff like personal servants. In turn, she alleges that the real problem is discrimination based on her physical condition.

According to testimony in a judiciary hearing, Judge Elizabeth Halverson requires employees – specifically her bailiff and court reporters — to perform personal services for her ranging from foot rubs and back massages to covering her with her “blankie” for naps. Halverson’s former bailiff says the judge’s treatment left him feeling like a houseboy. When he complained, the bailiff was asked, “Do you want to worship me from near or afar?”

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In a surprise move on May 27, Governor Rell vetoed a bill that would have increased the Connecticut minimum wage beginning in January 2009.

The unexpected veto to House Bill 5105 by Governor M. Jodi Rell kills a plan to raise the state minimum wage from the current level of $7.65 per hour to $8.00 in 2009 and $8.25 in 2010. A related act, Senate Bill 55, that would have increased the tip credit, was also vetoed.

The Connecticut minimum wage bill passed both the House and Senate with large majorities. The vote was 106 to 45 for the bill in the House. The Senate passed the proposed increase by more than a 2-to-1 margin, with 25 for the measure and only 11 votes against it.

It’s entirely possible that the Governor’s veto will be overturned by the legislature. In order to overturn the Governor’s veto, proponents of the bill would require 101 votes in the House and 24 votes in the Senate. If the General Assembly considers this measure in a special session, and there are no defectors, they will overrule the veto. (more…)