This post was contributed by Erica Townes, a McNees Summer Associate. Ms. Townes is a rising third year law student at the Widener University Commonwealth Law School and is expected to earn her J.D. in May of 2017.

Recently you’ve noticed that an employee takes FMLA-covered leave the same week every year or always seems

For government employers, disciplining and terminating employees can be especially difficult. Not only does the public employer face the same challenges in complying with the standard alphabet soup of employment laws that private employers do, including the ADA, ADEA, FMLA, Title VII, etc., they also have the complicated task of considering the application of an

In a recent opinion, the Pennsylvania Superior Court upheld a judgment in favor of a healthcare employee that alleged wrongful termination of employment following her repeated refusal to work mandatory overtime. The judgment included damages of $121,869.93 and an order reinstating the employee to her former position. The Court’s opinion focused on the question of

According to a recent announcement by the Office of UC Service Centers, employers in Pennsylvania can expect that telephone calls will now be part of the state’s fact-finding process in connection with initial eligibility determinations for unemployment compensation benefits.

In the past, when a former employee filed a claim for UC benefits, the employer received

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently re-affirmed the principle that in order to have an enforceable non-compete agreement in Pennsylvania, the agreement must be supported by adequate consideration and that a statement merely agreeing to be “legally bound” doesn’t meet that requirement. The Court ruled against a waterproofing company hoping to enforce a non-compete agreement against

No, we’re not talking about the skit performed by the McNees Players at our recent Labor and Employment Seminar. In a recent case out of a Pennsylvania federal court, an employee alleged that she suffered from a fragrance allergy and “multiple chemical sensitivity” to fragrant chemicals, perfumes and scented lotions, which impacted her in several

Pennsylvania employers can achieve positive results and realize other important gains by wisely and effectively responding to, and when appropriate, contesting unemployment compensation claims. This post is Part 3 of a 3 part series on handling UC claims and addresses best practices for appealing to the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review/Commonwealth Court, when to involve legal counsel, and mandatory electronic filings of UC quarterly reports.
Continue Reading Best Practices for Handling Unemployment Compensation Claims Part 3: Appeals, Legal Counsel, & Quarterly Reports

Pennsylvania employers can achieve positive results and realize other important gains by wisely and effectively responding to, and when appropriate, contesting unemployment compensation claims. This post is Part 2 of a 3 part series on handling UC claims and addresses best practices for preparing for and participating in a Referee’s Hearing.
Continue Reading Best Practices for Handling Unemployment Compensation Claims Part 2: The Referee’s Hearing

Pennsylvania employers can achieve positive results and realize other important gains by wisely and effectively responding to, and when appropriate, contesting unemployment compensation claims. This post is Part 1 of a 3 part series on handling UC claims and addresses best practices for responding to the initial UC claim.
Continue Reading Best Practices for Handling Unemployment Compensation Claims Part 1: Responding to the Initial UC Claim and Appealing the Initial Determination

In a recent decision, the Commonwealth Court considered a part-time employee’s eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits after she was fired for disregarding her employer’s prior directive to not work past the end of her shift after punching out–and upheld the award of benefits!
Continue Reading Employee Fired for Working Additional Hours Eligible for UC Benefits Despite Prior Warning