The American Bar Association just issued its newest report on recent developments in FMLA case law. It is entitled, “2013 ABA FMLA Report.” If you are the union rep that handles all the FMLA matters for your local, it is worth your time to at least page through this to see the updates.
We have noticed a couple of local union newsletters that are worth bringing to your attention. Why? Because the single most valuable thing a union can offer all its unit employees is information about what is happening in their work lives. Few members will ever need union help against a proposed disciplinary action or to get a promotion unfairly denied them. While most of the unit benefits from a newly negotiated benefit, most soon forget that the union got the benefit for them. But everyone feels better knowing what is going on behind the scenes at their workplace. Once the union establishes itself as a continuing source of timely, accurate, locally relevant news, employee support and loyalty will grow. Continue reading
What do you do if a probationary employee contracts you to announce that management has just told her that if she does not resign in 72 hours it will terminate her during her probationary period? When you ask her why management wants to fire her she says, “It’s complicated.” Where do you go to find out all the appeal options she and the union have to challenge her pending removal? We suggest that a good place to start is Continue reading
More than a few employees have faced that choice. Some managers have even issued the proposed removal letter, heard the reply, and shown the employee the signed decision letter to force them to officially leave “voluntarily.” In the early days of the Civil Service Reform Act if an employee retired under threat of removal he could not get back pay or even reinstatement even if he won his appeal. That is not so anymore, which gives the targeted employee some options. Continue reading
FMLA is available to care for adult children over 18 or older if the child is physically or mentally disabled. The Dept. of Labor has just issued guidance on how that works that all union reps should at least read once. Continue reading
A while ago we outlined 16 different ways a probationary employee can challenge his/her termination even though the urban legend is that probationers have no rights and there is nothing a union can do for them. Check out “16 Ways Probationers Can Appeal Terminations.” A recent Office of Special Counsel (OSC) case demonstrates the potential success of working with the union to plot an appeal path. Here is what OSC had to say in its own words. Continue reading