73 votes

In Germany, is it allowed for an employer to ask an employee to quit his job and threaten to find a critical error to end the contract immediately?

Your employer is most likely bluffing. It is better to be fired than to quit voluntarily. The problem with quitting voluntarily is that you won't get unemployment benefits (Arbeitslosengeld I) for a ...
  • 22.2k
41 votes

How will anyone know if an employer fires an employee for an illegal reason?

There is a rather elaborate three step analysis that is done in civil rights cases under U.S. precedents. Circumstantial evidence, as opposed to direct evidence of discrimination (which is less ...
  • 167k
37 votes
Accepted

Can employer legally stop paying time & 1/2 to exempt employee after stating in the offer that they would do so?

being overtime-exempt means they're not required to pay me time & 1/2 for overtime, but they're not prohibited from doing so correct? No, the employer is not prohibited from paying you time & ...
30 votes

Can a 401k plan exclude Union members?

The reason for that standard boilerplate is that any union members would be covered by the terms of their Collective Bargaining Agreement (often called the Contract). This isn't an attempt to exclude ...
  • 3,765
29 votes

High School forced labor for grades?

Various elements could be legal, or not. For example, it is legal to require students to do things in order to pass a class. It is legal to require a student to write a program for a course (entirely, ...
  • 190k
28 votes
Accepted

Is it legal for a company to enter an agreement not to hire employees from another company?

Among other stories via Google, some major companies lost a 2015 civil lawsuit brought by their employees: Apple, Google, others settle antipoaching lawsuit for $415 million - CNET Filed by former ...
20 votes
Accepted

At what salary do I need to withhold taxes?

A babysitter is a household employee in the IRS's parlance. This means that: [Y]ou may need to withhold and pay social security and Medicare taxes, pay federal unemployment tax, or both. To find out,...
20 votes
Accepted

What are some jurisdictions where a "no-strike clause" is illegal?

In germany, this is called Friedenspflicht. Both employers and employees (and their unions) are required to refrain from strikes and lockouts in disputes on issues which are covered by a currently ...
  • 10.9k
17 votes

Asking for compensation for a broken job offer in CA

Is there any type of California labor law that would allow for him to ask for compensation for lost wages? Your family member might have a claim of [intentional?] misrepresentation. Simply put, it is ...
16 votes

In Germany, is it allowed for an employer to ask an employee to quit his job and threaten to find a critical error to end the contract immediately?

Is it fine to threaten an employee like this? No. It's actually a crime (StGB §240 Nötigung). If they can do it that way, what are the consequences? They absolutely cannot. Ending an employment ...
15 votes
Accepted

Can a 401k plan exclude Union members?

This fact sheet on the "Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974" or ERISA, published by the United States Department of Labor, includes this quote: Who can participate in your ...
  • 1,768
15 votes

What are some jurisdictions where a "no-strike clause" is illegal?

france Une convention ou un accord collectif ne peut pas limiter ou réglementer l'exercice du droit de grève. A collective or bargaining agreement may not limit or restrict the exercise of the right ...
14 votes
Accepted

How can employer and union agree to tax-free payments?

certain kinds of payments just are tax-free There are several kinds of tax-free special payments in germany, such as certain types of additional payments (for example "Vermögenswirksame ...
  • 24.2k
13 votes

How can a company compel a W2 employee to sign a non-compete agreement?

A company generally cannot compel an employee to agree to a non-compete, but they have a wide variety of alternatives for inducing employees to do so. Most obviously, they may threaten to fire ...
13 votes
Accepted

Could members of a minority use collective action to negotiate with racist employers?

This is explicitly prohibited under 42 USC 2000e-2(c) (c)It shall be an unlawful employment practice for a labor organization— (1) to exclude or to expel from its membership, or otherwise to ...
  • 190k
13 votes

How will anyone know if an employer fires an employee for an illegal reason?

Indeed, in the United States, employees without a written employment contract generally can be fired for good cause, bad cause, or no cause at all. The quickest answer would be that in cases where the ...
  • 563
12 votes

Employer withholds last paycheck in Virginia

They have exactly zero legal grounds to withhold your last paycheck. From Code of Virginia 40.1: All employers operating a business shall establish regular pay periods and rates of pay for ...
12 votes

In Germany, is it allowed for an employer to ask an employee to quit his job and threaten to find a critical error to end the contract immediately?

amon gives a good answer, but let me approach it from a different direction. Frankly you don't want to be working for a company that wants you gone. Even if they can't get rid of you, they can make ...
  • 1,688
11 votes
Accepted

My company handed me a letter today telling me I owe them money because they overpaid me. Do I legally have to pay them?

Go to know that you live in Washington. Per RCW 49.48.210, They must give you written notice with their evidence. Per RCW 49.48.210, section 3, you can (and should) request a review of the employer ...
  • 1,389
11 votes

Employer failed to report my income or pay taxes. Do I have any rights to file a lawsuit?

Summary If they didn't steal your withholding, it depends a great deal. But if your employer stole your withholding, the IRS will sue them on your behalf. You will absolutely have grounds to sue them,...
10 votes
Accepted

Employee stopping me from entering my own building

There are numerous practical solutions, such as calling their supervisor, or calling the employee of yours who set up this arrangement, or providing some kind of proof that you are the ultimate boss. ...
  • 190k
10 votes

How can a company compel a W2 employee to sign a non-compete agreement?

I assume you are working in the US outside Montana (corporate headquarters is not so important). It depends on how long they are presently required to keep you on. If you have an at-will contract (...
  • 190k
10 votes

Can employer legally stop paying time & 1/2 to exempt employee after stating in the offer that they would do so?

Yes, they owe you time and a half. But, and it's a big BUT: If the contract lets them fire you, then they can just fire you. So, depending on whether they can let you go, what they're really saying ...
  • 101
9 votes
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When can a lawyer choose what to work on? Must they think they have a chance at success?

I think they called these lawyers "outside counsel", does this mean they are not part of the same organization so (in theory) their advice and position is objective and neutral? Not really. ...
  • 167k
9 votes

What are some jurisdictions where a "no-strike clause" is illegal?

australia Such a clause is unnecessary Under the Fair Work Act which governs all Federal industrial relations (i.e. all those involving companies, the Federal government, and, for reasons, everyone in ...
  • 177k
8 votes
Accepted

Labor law: which state's law applies when firm has multiple locations?

If you are employed at an office in Massachusetts, you are covered by Massachusetts labor law. When an Ohio company wants to operate in Massachusetts, it cannot just come in and unilaterally decide ...
  • 29.9k
8 votes

My company handed me a letter today telling me I owe them money because they overpaid me. Do I legally have to pay them?

From mhoran_psprep’s answer on Personal Finance & Money: Ask for documentation proving the amount they say you were overpaid, and ask for time to review their claim. If it is a large amount that ...
  • 2,200
7 votes
Accepted

Is my bond (employee contract) legal in India?

Bonded labor is illegal in India, but enforcement is lax. Read Right against exploitation in Fundamental rights in India. The right against exploitation, given in Articles 23 and 24, provides for two ...
  • 218
7 votes
Accepted

Why does the US FLSA have a separate classification for "Computer Employees"?

Why does the US FLSA have a separate classification for “Computer Employees”? Based on the rationale in 29 CFR 541.3(a), one may infer that FLSA seeks to protect workers who perform work ...

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