Year: 2013

In 2011, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a gender discrimination lawsuit against an Illinois-based mining company that, despite numerous highly-qualified applicants, hadn’t hired a single female miner since it opened operations. The company offered an unusual defense. The lawsuit should be thrown out, it said, because the EEOC’s efforts to settle the complaint through …

Court: ‘inadequate’ EEOC pre-trial effort no defense for employer Read More »

A lot of Minnesota readers know that a big element in estate planning is tax planning. It is not everyone’s top priority, but for those who may have estates near or over the amount for the federal or state exemptions, planning in advance for tax efficiency can be an important way to pass more assets …

Using trusts to minimize estate taxes Read More »

A highly-negative series in the Star Tribune has put the Minnesota Board of Nursing on edge. As we discussed early last month, the Star Tribune series uncovered a few hundred cases in which nurses were still working despite misdemeanor records that may disqualify them from direct patient care, and a few accused of serious misconduct. …

Harried Nursing Board wants more power to crack down on workers Read More »

Being fired because of discrimination is always appalling, but for those who’ve loyally served an organization for years only to be wrongfully terminated just as they near retirement, it can mean a major financial setback, as well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, when older workers are able to find new work at all, …

4 veteran administrators fired by Rutgers cite age discrimination Read More »

Estate planning is an important part of becoming an adult. It is a responsibility that many people leave until they reach a certain life event. This might be graduating from college, buying a home, or having a child. However, it is important that anyone over the age of 18 takes steps to ensure their wishes …

Estate planning is a family affair Read More »

Every workplace creates a culture, and a positive one can support and energize employees. Even in the absence of discrimination or harassment, a poor one can be draining, disaffecting, or even antagonistic. With the recent controversy over whether the Miami Dolphins’ locker room culture, a lot of people have been thinking about workplace culture and …

Does your workplace atmosphere support employees’ mental health? Read More »

In a recent post on this blog we discussed the story of a woman who lived modestly and out of the public eye until she left a surprisingly large fortune to local scholarship funds in her will. It is more common than many readers realize for people who have accumulated significant savings to continue to …

Man established charitable trust as his sole beneficiary Read More »

Minnesota readers may be interested to learn that workers who pick pineapples for Del Monte Fresh Produce were awarded a $1.2 million settlement on claims of abuse on farms in Hawaii. Thai immigrants allegedly received employment discrimination from a contractor hired by the Del Monte unit, which is one of the biggest producers in the …

Del Monte Thai employees get $1.2M for workplace discrimination Read More »

If you’re suspicious that something unlawful is going on in your workplace, you may have wondered whether it would be a good idea to secretly record phone calls or conversations in order to gather evidence before blowing the whistle. If you work in Minnesota, you absolutely should not do so without first talking to an …

Should I secretly record evidence of unlawful workplace behavior? Read More »