Legal Aid Employment Law

Q. Is a business required to provide medical, life and similar insurance coverages for its employees?

A. Although it is common to supply these kinds of "employee benefit" coverage for workers, the law generally does not require a business to achieve that. Most businesses provide similar and these benefits to attract and retain workers and as an extra type of reimbursement. Companies that employ unionized workers must supply whatever gains are needed by the provisions of their marriage contracts, and it may be required to provide particular types of employee benefits as a condition of doing business with or for agencies or certain governmental entities. Many nations have decided to adopt legislation requiring companies that are to provide health insurance. Check with labour department or your state's insurance to find out if such a law has been adopted by your state.

Q. Does flirting and bantering between co-workers constitute sexual harassment?

A. It is really hard to state a hard-and-fast rule. When mild and friendly bantering or horseplay between the genders cross the line and be undesirable and too much is the type of matter courts exist to pick.

Q. Can an employer fire a employee that won't operate on his scheduled day off?

A. Most people are employees at will and don't have any employment contracts or union contracts which protect them. That usually means that a boss can fire them at will for any legal reason (that carves out such matters like race, colour, creed, etc.) or no reason in any way. That's different, if there's an employment contract, or a marriage.

Q. Does "flirting" represent sexual harassment?

A. It is hard to say a rule. When mild and friendly bantering or horseplay involving the genders cross the line and become undesirable and too much is the type of matter courts exist to decide.

Q. What are some common "causes" for being terminated?

(6) substance abuse (though some states require assistance with alcohol and drug misuse before termination as it is regarded as a disease).

Q.What's Labor Law?

A. Employment Law or Labor Law concerns the legal relationship between employers and employees. Statutes regarding labor law are observed at all levels of government, from federal to state, to county and city. Labour law determines the rights and duties which arise out of a contract. The law begins when an employer makes an offer for employment to an employee. Labour law governs the entire relationship between employer and employee -- rewards, job responsibilities, wages, promotions, the first hiring process, employment reviews and termination of their employment relationship. It also has lawsuit on the basis of discrimination and unfair labour practices. According to the United States Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Statistics job bias lawsuits filed in U.S. District Courts jumped from 6,936 from 1990 into 21,540 in 1998.