An Employee Rights & Professional Licensure Defense Law Blog | Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A.

What can you do if you're wrongfully terminated in Minnesota?

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Wrongful Termination on Thursday, January 18, 2018.

Nothing is worse than losing your job and thinking that it has to do with your sexual preferences, skin color or gender. Maybe it's your disability that you worry about or you think that because you requested your employer stops harassing you that you've been retaliated against. Whatever the reason is, it's hard to handle when you're terminated from a job unexpectedly.

If you believe that your employer has fired you for unfair reasons, you may have a case against him or her. An employer is not allowed to hire or fire individuals based on their creed, color, sex, national origin, race, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, religion or ancestry in Minnesota.

There is more than one way to lose your nursing license

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Professional Licensure Defense on Thursday, January 18, 2018.

As a nurse, you likely you love your job. From helping people at their most vulnerable and desperate to working closely with other health care professionals, you enjoy your career and the impact you have on others.

Unfortunately, there are times when nurses find themselves in trouble. Adding to this is the fact that some situations can lead to the loss of your nursing license.

Employers can't discriminate against pregnant women at work

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Workplace Discrimination on Friday, January 12, 2018.

Pregnant women shouldn't have to face any type of discrimination in the work force simply because they decided to start a family or expand their family. For some pregnant women, having to deal with discrimination is an atrocity that they live with at work. These women do have the right to take legal action if they so feel the need.

Pregnancy discrimination is something that is forbidden on a federal level thanks to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. This is an amendment to the commonly cited Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Job notices can't include age preferences

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Workplace Discrimination on Thursday, January 11, 2018.

Age discrimination isn't always as obvious as you may assume. For instance, it's clear that discrimination is happening if a young person and an older worker both come in for an interview, but the company then tells the older worker he or she is too old for the job and hires the younger worker.

However, what if they never make it to that interview in the first place? What if the job notice or advertisement itself says that older workers should not apply?

What's considered an exempt employee in Minnesota?

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Employee Rights on Thursday, December 28, 2017.

Most Minnesota workers are subject to the federal government's Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as opposed to the state one. This is because most Minnesota businesses engage in interstate commerce. As such, they are required to pay their employees one and a half times their regular rate of pay provided that they work in excess of 40 hours during a single week.

Despite this, a small minority of Minnesota companies who service customers in this one state alone are instead subject to Minnesota Statute Section 177.23. Companies covered under this law are only responsible for paying overtime to workers who work more than 48 during a single week.

Things to know about wrongful termination and breach of contract

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Wrongful Termination on Monday, December 18, 2017.

There are many forms of wrongful termination, all of which can lead to a situation in which you no longer have a job.

Many people overlook the fact that breach of contract is one of the most common types of wrongful termination. Here are some of the many questions to answer if you have reason to believe that you can file a wrongful termination claim as the result of breach of contract:

Why might a marriage counselor lose their license?

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Professional Licensure Defense on Thursday, December 14, 2017.

As a marriage counselor, you enjoy every aspect of your job and hope that you can provide a high level of service well into the future.

Unfortunately, you never know if something bad could happen down the road, such as a license suspension. If you find yourself in this position, it goes without saying that it will impact your life in many ways.

Minnesota's legislature doesn't disclose employee discrimination

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Workplace Discrimination on Tuesday, December 12, 2017.

If there's one thing that Minnesota legislators appear to enjoy relaying to the public, it's about how focused on being transparent they are, especially as it relates to being selective in spending taxpayer dollars. A recent investigation shows that they aren't forthright with everything, though.

Researchers found that they appear to collectively and intentionally sweep legal settlements, employee complaints and instances of impropriety among lawmakers under the carpet.

I lost my job: Do I have an age discrimination claim?

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Workplace Discrimination on Friday, December 8, 2017.

When an employee has many years of experience in his or her field of work, he or she will charge a premium for his or her services, and demand a much higher salary than a freshly graduated worker. It is expected in almost all industries that a more experienced, and therefore, an older worker, is more expensive to employ. They often also require a higher salary because of their responsibilities, such as their financial needs due to raising a family.

Based on these trends, it can seem suspicious when a person in his or her forties is fired for no concrete reason, and a younger, less experienced employee is hired to replace him or her. If you have been fired in a circumstance similar to this, you may be struggling financially as a result, and you may quite rightly have a suspicion that age discrimination could be to blame.

How to get your suspended Minnesota veterinary license reinstated

On behalf of Marit Sivertson of Law Office of Sivertson and Barrette, P.A. posted in Professional Licensure Defense on Friday, December 1, 2017.

There are a number of reasons your license to practice veterinary medicine may be suspended. While it may have occurred because you failed to renew your license in time or to prove that you'd met the necessary continuing education, it might have also happened because you engaged in malpractice or committed a crime. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your suspension, it may be possible to file for a reinstatement of your medical license.

If your license to practice veterinary medicine has been suspended within the past five years, then the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine (MNBVM) requires you to address a written request to them to have your license reinstated. Along with this statement, you'll need to also pay the renewal fee that would have applied when you last held an active license. You'll also need to pay any outstanding balances you owe them and pay current reinstatement fees as well.

Employment & Professional License Defense