The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States is, at first blush, straightforward: “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech….” However, as so often happens in the legal world, and especially when employee rights are at stake, things are never quite as simple as they may appear at first blush. After [...]
Nov
16
2011
16
2011
Nov
2
2011
2
2011
A Compelling Reason to Vote
Election Day is upon us and I urge you to vote on November 8th or early vote and to vote NO on Issue 2. If you would like to vote early you may do so this week at your local Board of Elections: We Are Ohio – Action. Issue 2 is the referendum on Senate [...]
Sep
30
2011
30
2011
Labor Secretary and IRS Commissioner Coordinate Efforts to End Employer Misclassification Practices
GTB&S labor attorney, John Roca, blogged about the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) protections for employees who are misclassified by employers as so-called independent contractors. Roca noted that the practice is significant because independent contractors are not entitled to minimum wage or overtime, and the practice thereby avoids the obligations set forth in the FLSA. [...]
Sep
22
2011
22
2011
Veterans Benefits
At Gallon, Takacs, Boissoneault & Schaffer, Co., LPA, our mission dedicates us to providing legal assistance to working men and women, individuals with disabilities, and labor organizations. We are very proud of that tradition. Now, I’m happy to announce that the firm is providing legal representation to veterans of our military who have physical or [...]
Aug
26
2011
26
2011
NLRB Issues New Rule
Through an important action that will impact employees nationwide, the National Labor Relations Board has recently implemented a rule that will require most private-sector employers to take steps to notify their employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. The rule will require employers to post a brief summary of employer labor law [...]
Aug
9
2011
9
2011
The Boeing Case
A Congressman from California, Darrell Issa, the one who complained about federal assistance for New York City and heroic firefighters after the 9-11 attacks and who issued a general invitation to American business to target for elimination regulations they didn’t care for, now has targeted the National Labor Relations Board. Mr. Issa’s attacks on the [...]
Jul
10
2011
10
2011
So What Have American Unions Done For Our Country?
American unions have done a tremendous amount for working people in our country – union members or not. Watch this video – it’s only a few minutes – and be reminded of why unions have played, and continue to play, such a vital role in our county.
May
9
2011
9
2011
The Fair Labor Standards Act
Employers are under increasing pressure to cut costs. More often than not, employers increasingly look to concessions and reductions from their employees in order to achieve those savings. Some employers in fact cheat their employees in order to improve an employer’s bottom line. The Fair Labor Standards Act, or the FLSA, was enacted by Congress [...]
Apr
5
2011
5
2011
Senate Bill 5 – What’s Next?
The Republican majorities in both houses of the Ohio General Assembly have now passed Senate Bill 5 (SB 5) and Governor Kasich has signed it into law. The bill, as most of you know, dramatically reduces the rights of public employees in Ohio to bargain collectively with their members’ employers. Reduced to its simplest form, [...]
Mar
10
2011
10
2011
Senate Bill 5…It’s Not Better!
As I previously explained, Senate Bill 5 is not good for Ohio workers. Since then, with lots of gerrymandering and legislative shenanigans, an amended piece of legislation squeaked through the Ohio Senate on its way to the House. But the Amended Senate Bill 5 isn’t any better. There’s plenty of bad stuff in this legislation, even [...]