Author Archives: Jay Butchko

Sex Discrimination Claim Against University Of Miami Set To Go To Trial
On October 6th, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published a press release confirming that a federal judge has denied a motion for summary judgment filed by the University of Miami. In doing so, the judge is allowing an employee’s sex-based discrimination claim to proceed to trial. In this article, you will find… Read More »

What To Know About Florida’s New Restrictions On COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates For Private Employers
On November 18, 2021, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a pair of companion bills from the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida State Senate that require private employers to add new exemptions if they seek to have a vaccine mandate in place for its employees. In this article, you will find an overview… Read More »

Severance Pay: A Guide To Employee Rights In Florida
Leaving a job is never easy. Whether you are terminated, laid off, or resigning voluntarily, the transition period can be challenging. A severance package (severance agreement) can help to relieve some of the financial burden while transitioning to a new job. However, severance pay is not a guaranteed right under state or federal law…. Read More »

Pregnancy And Reasonable Accommodations: Know Your Rights In Florida
All employers should assess employees based on their qualifications—not on stereotypes. Workplace discrimination is unacceptable. Unfortunately, too many pregnant employees face discriminatory treatment from employers. Not only do many employers have a proactive duty to avoid pregnancy discrimination, they may be required to provide a reasonable accommodation. In this article, you will find a… Read More »

Wage And Hour Laws In Florida: What To Know About The State’s Paycheck Deduction Laws
Workers are the backbone of our economy. All employees must be paid fairly, in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws. This raises an important question: Can an employer deduct wages from an employee’s check in Florida? The answer is ‘yes’—as Florida has no dedicated state paycheck deduction law, employers must comply with… Read More »

Florida Wal-Mart Sued By The EEOC For Allowing Sexual Harassment
On September 21st, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced a workplace sexual harassment lawsuit against Wal-Mart. According to the allegations raised by the federal agency, the company allowed a male employee of a Wal-Mart retail location in Walton County, Florida to sexually harass at least three female coworkers. In this article, you… Read More »

DOL Is Reviving 80/20 Rule For Tipped Employees: What It Means
In June, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) published an official Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to the federal register. In doing so, the Biden Administration is reversing policy and reviving the so-called ‘80/20 rule’ for tipped employees. In this blog post, you will find an overview of the most important things to know… Read More »

Miami, FL Grocery Store Sued For Pregnancy Discrimination
On September 23rd, 2021, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the filing of a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit against Presidente Supermarket No. 31, Inc., the Miami location of a regional grocery store chain. The federal agency contends that the employer fired a worker simply because she was pregnant—a violation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act…. Read More »

The Fight Over Vaccine Employment Mandates In Florida: State May Fine Leon County
According to a report from WTXL Tallahassee, Florida Governor Ron Desantis is sharply criticizing Leon County for its recently-announced vaccine mandate for government employees. Leon County is joining Orange County as the two counties in Florida that have rolled out COVID-19 vaccine mandates for certain municipal employees. Leon County Put a Vaccine Mandate in… Read More »

OSHA Fines Employer For COVID-19 Health And Safety Violations Over Worker Death
On October 7th, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that the United States Department of Labor (DOL) has approved a $23,406 fine for the Denver location of an El Paso, TX based insurance agency that failed to put proper health and safety protocols in place to protect workers from the COVID-19… Read More »