Author Archives: Jay Butchko
How Should My Business Comply with Employment Laws that Address COVID-19?
Congress recently enacted two laws that give new rights to employees who are affected by the COVID-19 crisis: The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) requires covered employers to give paid sick leave to certain employees for a period of two weeks. The Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) requires employers to… Read More »
Two New Laws Protect Employment Rights During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing massive disruptions in the workplace. Businesses are firing or laying off their employees. Workers are staying home in compliance with doctors’ orders. Others are staying home because schools are closed and they can’t find daycare. Several federal and state laws protect the rights of workers. None of those laws… Read More »
Central Florida Restaurant Owner Owes Employees More Than $83k
It is unfortunate to see restaurant owners take advantage of the employees who work so hard for them, though it is satisfying to see justice served in these situations. In a recent article reported by the Miami Herald and the Department of Labor, justice was served when Rios Rodriguez Enterprises Inc. (Rios) —the owner… Read More »
Porky’s Bayside Pays Employees More than $73K for Unpaid Overtime
According to the Economic Policy Institute, restaurant employees typically have “very low-wage jobs with few benefits, and many restaurant workers live in poverty or near-poverty.” Many restaurant employees desperately need their jobs because they cannot find other employment. Sadly, some restaurant owners take advantage of their employees’ circumstances by depriving them of the wage… Read More »
When Are Volunteers Entitled to Wages?
People volunteer their time for many different reasons. Volunteering for a charitable organization provides opportunities to help the less fortunate. Young people might volunteer for VISTA or accept a student internship to gain work experience and build a more impressive résumé. Retirees sometimes volunteer as a way of staying active and avoiding boredom. Yet… Read More »
Aging Workers Face Discrimination When Employers Cut Payroll Costs
The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 32.5% of Florida’s population will be 60 or older by the year 2030. Older workers contribute valuable knowledge and experience to the workplace, but they are often the first to be fired when employers decide to cut costs. The loss of employment often creates a crisis, given the… Read More »
Automatic Payroll Deductions for Lunch Breaks May Violate the Rights of Florida Employees
Nonexempt employees are entitled to be paid if they work through lunch. Yet some employers have a policy that automatically deducts a lunch period from the time an employee works each day, whether or not the employee stops working. Federal law makes that practice unlawful, and Florida employment lawyers are holding employers accountable when… Read More »
Wage Law Protections for Florida Employees Who Earn Commissions or Tips
Most employees must be paid overtime and nearly all must be paid minimum wage. However, Florida employers sometimes deny the full protection of those laws to employees who earn commissions or tips as part of their compensation. Florida wage and hour lawyers are aware that many employers misapply the law to deprive employees of… Read More »
What Does The Law Say About Exercising Free Speech And Religious Beliefs In The Workplace?
With all of the latest news on NFL players deciding to kneel during the national anthem—and President Trump’s speech that owners should fire anyone who does so—this issue of the right to protest in the workplace, insofar as the First Amendment is concerned, has come up again. We discuss this below, as well as… Read More »
Administration Argues Against Workers’ Rights in Court
On October 2nd the U.S. Supreme Court will be deciding on major issues that affect worker rights to file litigation against employers; specifically, it will be deciding on the consolidated cases Epic Systems Corp v. Lewis, National Labor Relations Board v. Murphy Oil USA Inc., and Ernst & Young LLP v. Morris. Although, during… Read More »
Robert S. Norell, Esq. became a member of the Florida Bar in 1994 and has represented hundreds of clients in all types of employment law cases for the past 20+ years.