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Questions Answered by Rhiannon Herbert
1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law, Civil Rights and Employment Discrimination for Florida on
Q: Is it legal for my boss to continually make one employee take a longer unpaid lunch break than other employees?

My coworkers are noticing that my boss is treating me differently. It's really embarrassing and feels like harassment.

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jun 13, 2023

As long as you don't need to perform work during your lunch break and the break lasts at least 30 minutes, then your employer isn't violating any wage laws. However, if there are other ways your boss is treating you less favorably than your coworkers based on a protected class... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Utah on
Q: I am a PRN receptionist who has a question

My employer refuses to give me any assignments when I can see the multiple positions online. I went on unemployment because of this and they threatened to terminate me. My unemployment just ran out. This has been going on for 6 months now. I just reached out again after seeing a few more positions... View More

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jun 13, 2023

Whether you can pursue a legal claim in this situation depends on two things: (1) whether there actually is work available for you; and (2) if so, why you aren't being selected to perform it. If you suspect the company is passing you over for available jobs due to a protected class... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law and Business Law for Nevada on
Q: Hello I have a real estate business. I am looking to hire my first employee to answer calls and do admin work.

If I pay them either $13.25 per hour or $15 per hour. Am I required to pay them overtime of $19 per Hour and $22 per hour. Over 40 hours. My company is based in Nevada. I only have 1 employee and myself.

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jun 6, 2023

Generally yes. Federal law requires that hourly-paid employees be paid overtime, at a rate of one-and-one-half times their regular rate of pay, for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek. If your business does less than $500,000 gross in business per year, however, you may be exempt from federal... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Arkansas on
Q: I was paid wrong by employer, they paid over 3 different checks and it’s still wrong amount and taxes messed up

My pay is complicated because I worked overtime, I get shift differential added to my base pay at one rate for 2nd shift and another rate for 3rd shift, I also worked 4 extra shifts with a bonus of $200 extra per shift, paydays are semimonthly. I had 97 hours (11hours OT), with $800 bonuses owed to... View More

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on May 31, 2023

You should discuss this situation with an Arkansas employment attorney in more detail. In addition to the issues you've listed above, employers also need to account for shift differentials and non-discretionary bonus payments when calculating your overtime pay rate. If your overtime pay rate... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Employment Law for Illinois on
Q: If my worplace doesnt have an attendance policy or point system would it be wrongful termination if they fire me?

This is in illinois

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on May 23, 2023

Employers are not required to have any policies or procedures in place for attendance, so generally, the answer to your question is no. However, if you believe your employer has a discriminatory motive for terminating your employment due to an attendance issue (i.e. termination based on race, age,... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law on
Q: If I work from 4pm to 11:30pm clock out leave and come back to work from 12:15 to 8am. Am I entitled to overtime?
Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on May 16, 2023

This depends on how you are paid and how many hours you work in a week. Under federal law, overtime hours are considered any hours worked over 40 per 7-day workweek. If you are paid hourly, you should generally be entitled to overtime, but if you are paid on a salary or other basis, this gets more... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Pennsylvania on
Q: If you get a warning from a company about a policy violation, can they still fire you for heeding the warning?

The firing happened three days after the warning and the company did not document the warning or the firing.

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on May 2, 2023

Yes. In at-will employment states, you or the employer can terminate the employment relationship at any time and for any reason, or for no reason at all. The one exception to this rule is if you are targeted for termination based on a discriminatory reason (i.e., based on race, national origin,... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law and Employment Discrimination for Arizona on
Q: Can my employer place me from a Licensed Practical Nurse to a Certified Nurses Assistant full time?

I am an LPN at a company where a CNA quit and I was told that I will now work full-time as a CNA to make up the gap. I reached out, had a meeting with my direct supervisor, and sent an email with my regional manager asking if this is a permanent roll and they will not say if it is or not as they... View More

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Apr 5, 2023

There is not anything inherently unlawful about your employer's actions in switching you to a different job. If, however, you believe your employer is intending to force your resignation based on a protected class characteristic (race, sex, age, disability, religion, veteran status), then you... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Virginia on
Q: can something be done about an employer doing everything in their power to try make you quit?

being treated different doubling work load they give 2 people threatening his job for everything when he expresses how he's being singled out they just tell him he will be missed wanting him to quit.

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Mar 15, 2023

The answer to this question will depend on why you are being singled out. While Virginia is an at-will employment state, meaning the employer or employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, employees cannot be harassed or discriminated against due to a protected class... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for Colorado on
Q: My employer has been making me work full time + weekend; but paying me 1099. Is this legal?

I was hired by a company as an intern. I was then granted access to a percentage of my clients. At the start of 2022. My employer sent us a work agreement where he stated we had to agree to 40 hours in office + occasional nights and weekends. He then proceeded to pay us all year in 1099. Ive now... View More

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Mar 15, 2023

If you were paid via 1099 and classified as an independent contractor, you should reach out to a Colorado employment attorney to discuss your situation in more detail. You may have been misclassified as an independent contractor when, in reality, you should have been classified as an employee... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Employment Law and Employment Discrimination for North Carolina on
Q: I'm having some serious issues with my manager. I need to know if these actions are grounds to take legal action

She told me I cannot use the bathroom when it was an emergent situation due to me knocking on the door and it was annoying her. She also told me I need to take my medical alert bracelet off when I'm working because it gets in the way of performing my job.

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Mar 7, 2023

While there is no general claim for harassment in the workplace, you cannot be harassed or treated differently than other employees based on a protected class characteristic (i.e. race, sex, age, disability, religion). If you believe your manager's conduct is connected to any of these... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Florida on
Q: Can an employer require using PTO days for holidays when office is closed?

Employer moving to a PTO system and no longer have paid holidays, vacation and sick leave. However, required to use those days for federal holidays when offices are closed. No option for working those days. Will be written up if PTO hours are not available to use.

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Feb 28, 2023

There are no federal laws that require employers to offer any paid time off benefits. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers are only required to pay their employees for the time they actually work. As a result, employers have a lot of discretion regarding paid time off policies if they... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law for Illinois on
Q: I am unable to do my job due to the state of my mental health, caused by a hostile work environment. What can I do?

After communicating with a supervisor and HR regarding my mental health and concerns about a hostile work environment, including harassment via micro-aggressions and unfair scrutiny/biases, my employer retaliated with increased scrutiny, overt incivility, and a denial of benefits.

A... View More

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Feb 21, 2023

If you haven't already, you should make a written report to your company's HR department regarding the differences in treatment you have observed that may be based on race (based on your message above). While treating some employees more favorably than others is inherently unfair, this... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for North Dakota on
Q: Can an employer force me to stay at work after my scheduled shift ends? I work at a hotel at the front desk.
Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Feb 21, 2023

As long as you are paid for all of the hours you work, including at an overtime rate for all hours over 40 in a workweek if you are paid by the hour, then your employer can change or extend your schedule with or without notice to or approval by you.

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Georgia on
Q: How do I go about getting some terms clarified in a separation agreement from my previous employer? I was recently fired

There are terms in the agreement that are vague. For future employment, terms like affiliates and related entities in the future concern me. My previous employer is a company that takes referrals from other doctors. I'm concerned that if I sign it, I won't be able to find another job in... View More

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jan 31, 2023

If you have questions or concerns about signing the agreement you've been given, then you should contact a Georgia employment attorney to review your contract and discuss the circumstances of your separation. It's important to understand your rights and responsibilities prior to deciding... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Washington on
Q: Can my employer make me shorten my regular hours to accommodate working the weekend to avoid paying me overtime?

My normal work schedule is Monday through Friday. Occasionally we do expos and shows that require us to work over the weekend. Normally we would be able to work our regular 80 hours and anything that we worked over the weekend would be considered overtime. This time, we were asked to shorten our... View More

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jan 31, 2023

Yes, there are no laws that require employers to offer any particular amount of hours or overtime. As long as you're paid overtime for any hours over 40 per workweek that you do work, your employer can reduce your hours to avoid employees accruing overtime hours.

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Texas on
Q: I work in Texas I am currently on my two week notice and wondering if I get my 15 days of pto paid out to me?

I don’t see anywhere a mention of what happens to pto when separation occurs between me and employer

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jan 24, 2023

There are no laws that require that earned but unused PTO be paid out to the employee upon separation. However, there are other ways that you can potentially recover this earned-but-unused PTO, such as if your employee handbook states you will receive it upon separation. If you don't have an... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Discrimination and Employment Law on
Q: Can a employer impose a policy or attempt to make a wormer work completely for free on saturdays

Due to her falling behind on quites and invoices due to work load increasing

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jan 18, 2023

The answer to this question will depend in part on how you're paid. If you are paid by the hour, then you generally must be paid for all time worked, including at an overtime rate of 1.5x your normal rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. However, if you are paid on a salary basis, then your... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law and Government Contracts for Kentucky on
Q: My jobs time system requires us to clock out, and then approve our time. Would this be considered working off the clock?

I am working on a government contract in Kentucky. I work on the computer to perform my work and they use a time keeping system that requires us to clock in and out daily, as well as clock in and out for our two 15 minute breaks and 30 minute lunch. At the end of the night when we clock out we have... View More

Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jan 18, 2023

You should contact a Kentucky employment attorney to discuss your situation in further detail, because whether off-the-clock work is compensable is a very fact-specific analysis. In addition, federal law generally requires breaks of 20 minutes or less to be paid. If you are required to clock in and... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Employment Law for Tennessee on
Q: If My Job Gets My Check Wrong But Is Fixing It Am I Obligated To Work I Really Don’t Wanna Work Until I Get What I’m Owe
Rhiannon Herbert
Rhiannon Herbert
answered on Jan 4, 2023

Yes. While mistakes in pay could lead to wage violations if they are not timely corrected, you still have an obligation to work your normal schedule if you're still employed with the company, and the company can discipline or terminate you for failing to do so.

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