Ryan Ellis

Broad Social-Media Policy Doesn’t Preclude Unemployment Benefits In a recent ruling, the Nebraska Supreme Court affirmed that a worker fired for allegedly posting vulgar comments wasn’t disqualified from getting state unemployment benefits despite the employer’s broad social media policy. This ruling serves as a reminder to employers that having a broad social media policy does […]

The Illinois Labor Disputes Act (ILDA) is an important piece of legislation that affects employers and workers in the state. It sets forth the rights and responsibilities of employers and employees when it comes to labor disputes. The ILDA has recently been amended to further protect employers from certain liabilities and to better regulate the

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on May 18 in the case of United States v. National Association of Air Force Technicians was a victory for union employees. The ruling upheld a 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision, which determined that a unique group of National Guard technicians are entitled to the same union rights

It’s an unfortunate but inevitable reality that HR professionals and other management officials are sometimes powerless when it comes to resolving workplace conflicts. The latest update to a story we highlighted a few weeks ago only serves to further illustrate this point, as the original letter-writer is still stuck dealing with a awkward situation at

Pay Grew Again, But Slower, in Second Quarter The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released its latest report on compensation and wages for the second quarter of the year. In it, the BLS noted that wages had grown again for the quarter, but at a slower pace than in the first quarter. At

Ask HR: Can Workers Display Political Signs in Their Workstations? The issue of whether or not employees can display political signs in their workstations is a hot topic in the Human Resources world today. It is a question that has been asked by many HR professionals, especially during election season. But before we answer this

Employee Who Sought to Tape-Record Meetings Loses ADA Claim As a Human Resources executive of a fortune 500 company, I understand the need to effectively manage difficult situations in the workplace. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled on a case involving the denial of an employee’s request to tape-record meetings. This case

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently ruled that private businesses with religious convictions can be exempt from antidiscrimination laws that protect LGBTQ+ workers. This ruling has created a great deal of controversy, as many feel that it could potentially open the door to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the

Recent changes to federal law have given banks and credit unions more freedom when it comes to hiring people with criminal histories. This is a welcome change, as it makes it easier for those with a criminal record to find employment. However, it is important to note that these changes do not give banks and

The California health care industry is about to get a major wage boost. On October 13, Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law that will significantly raise the minimum wage for nearly all health care employees in the state, both hourly and salaried. This is a big step forward for the state’s health care workers,