Author: Dorsey & Whitney

Quirky Question #262, An update on Wisconsin non-competes

Quirky Question #262, An update on Wisconsin non-competes

Question: We are a Wisconsin employer that recently lost a number of employees to a direct competitor in our region.  As a result, we are now in the process of having all of our employees sign non-compete agreements prohibiting them from working for a competitor for a limited period of time after leaving our company.  Assuming that the non-compete agreement...

Quirky Question #253, Private arbitrations becoming not-so-private?

Quirky Question #253, Private arbitrations becoming not-so-private?

Question: I read with interest the answer to Quirky Question #248 about mandatory arbitration. You mentioned one of the benefits of arbitration being that is more private than a dispute in court, which is certainly a consideration for our company as we determine whether to implement this type of policy. Is that really the case, given the recent legislation I’ve...

Quirky Question #249, Rebirth of Pregnancy Discrimination?

Quirky Question #249, Rebirth of Pregnancy Discrimination?

Question: I work in Human Resources at a mid-size Minnesota company and am working on an HR resource related to workplace accommodations.  I am relatively familiar with the Americans with Disabilities Act, but am struggling to identify what, if any, accommodations we should be prepared to extend to pregnant employees.  Can you help?

Quirky Question #246, iKnow where your iPad is

Quirky Question #246, iKnow where your iPad is

Question: Our California company intends to provide iPads to all of our sales employees, but to make sure we can locate the iPads if they are lost or stolen, we plan to use the iPads’ GPS capabilities to track their locations.  As an added bonus, we’ll also be able to track the sales employees themselves.  Any concerns with this plan?

Quirky Question #244, An Update on Ebola

Quirky Question #244, An Update on Ebola

In Quirky Question #244, we discussed what employers should do to protect their employees and businesses in light of the potential Ebola threat.  Last week, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered nearly 700 Minnesota National Guard members to deploy to Liberia this spring to help fight the Ebola epidemic. The citizen-soldiers are scheduled to start training in March with an estimated six-month...

Quirky Question #245, Last chance agreements

Quirky Question #245, Last chance agreements

Question: We operate a manufacturing plant with a union workforce where new employees begin with a 90-day probationary period during which they are not yet members of the union. I recently hired a guy who refused to work overtime on several occasions, so I had him sign a “last chance” agreement in which he agreed that any further unexcused refusals...

Quirky Question #244, Ebola goes viral

Quirky Question #244, Ebola goes viral

Question: The recent media coverage of Ebola has been overwhelming.  As an employer, I want to be prepared and proactive to protect our employees and our business, but I also don’t want to overreact to what is seemingly a very small threat.  What steps can, and should, I take to protect my employees?  Does Ebola potentially implicate any state or...