In Westchester, New York, people work to earn money. Getting less than what a worker deserves, or minimum wage, is against the law. Throughout the state, $7.25 per hour is the minimum wage for employees. Service employees, such as deliverymen and waitresses, can be compensated with $5.65 per hour as long as they receive an additional $1.60 per hour in tips from customers. If workers have not received minimum wage, they can proceed with exercising their rights.
Proposed bill shields unpaid interns from sexual harassment
News about an unpaid intern who lost a sexual harassment lawsuit against her former boss for acts committed in 2010 is a hot topic among New York residents. According to the judge who oversaw the case, New York City's human rights provisions do not provide protection to unpaid interns.
Ex-employees file an employment claim, alleging sexual harassment
Workers in White Plains, New York are confident about the employment laws implemented in the state. Employment laws prohibit unfair practices such as sexual harassment, wrongful termination, failure to pay overtime and other benefits. They also protect employees from employers who discriminate after the employee files a workers' compensation claim. A violation of employee rights can subject an employer to costly fines, which will serve as a lesson to those who continue to exploit their workers. An employee may also seek legal action to recover damages based on their incurred losses.
Wellness programs may lead to workplace discrimination
The world of healthcare is rapidly changing. As more and more parts of the Affordable Care Act go into effect, New York workers may be experiencing changes with how they get insurance and what is covered. However, these same workers may be seeing changes at work. Under the ACA, employers can offer up to 30 percent off the cost of healthcare coverage to employees who participate in a voluntary employer wellness program.
New York teacher wins wrongful termination suit
While most New York employees are at-will employees, they cannot be fired for certain reasons. When employers fire an employee for an illegal reason -- including for a discriminatory reason -- then the worker has been wrongfully terminated. A wrongful termination can be devastating for an employee and for New York families. However, employees have rights following a wrongful termination. If employees file suit, then they can be compensated for their loss.
