The Iowa Supreme Court recently upheld a lower court's ruling that a dentist had a legal right to fire his assistant for being "irresistibly attractive" and for "posing a threat to his marriage." Attorney Randy Enochs (Enochs Law Firm LLC) breaks down the details of the controversial decision in Iowa with Tim Muma and explains how it applies to the workplace in general. Randy also gives some guidance on how employers and em...

A popular question and issue that arises every year around this time is whether an employer can force it's employee to receive flu shots/vaccinations. The answer is that employers may generally require employees to receive a flu shot but there are potential law violations associated with such a practice (and with requiring employees to do anything in general). Specifically, there may be issues with some employees' religio...

Recently Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed the concealed weapon bill which allows residents 21 years and older to carry a concealed weapon – a handgun, electric weapon such as a taser, knife (other than a switchblade knife), and billy club – almost anywhere in the state, including most places of employment. Wisconsin will issue licenses to carry concealed weapons, subject to background check and training requirements....

Probably one of things employees often do not know about, at least in Wisconsin, regards their right to view their employee/personnel file. A lot of employees wonder what happens with those yearly reviews, disciplinary write-ups and handbooks and often never see these materials unless they are terminated. In Wisconsin employees are allowed, under law (Wis. Stat. sec. 103.13), to view their personnel file twice per year with...

When a person, known as a "claimant," files for unemployment insurance in Wisconsin, the first question is whether the person quit or was terminated. If the claimant was terminated, then the issue is whether the claimant was terminated for "misconduct" connected with their employment. "Misconduct" is a legal term used to encompass conduct ranging from absenteeism to theft and not necessarily used in the literal sense.The ca...

One very common problem for people with an arrest and conviction record(s) is the fear of being rejected for a job because of the stigma associated with such a record. What further complicates the matter is the ease of employers and the general public to conduct a search on the Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP) to discover a person’s court history, both civil and criminal. Whether it’s that small claims matter...