By: Jeremy Schatz, Managing Attorney, Virtus Law Group. Myth #1 “If I wasn’t touched, it’s not sexual harassment.” Fact: Much of the sexual harassment committed in the workplace is verbal, including unwanted comments about appearance, request for sexual favors, request for sexual favor that include employment conditions,...
I Have a Workers’ Compensation Claim-What is an Ombudsman By: Ray Foushee, Attorney, Virtus Law Group, Birmingham Alabama An Ombudsman is an employee of the State of Alabama that is employed to facilitate workers’ compensation claims. The Ombudsman program, was established by the Workers' Compensation Reform Act of...
Virtus Law Group, Birmingham, Alabama. FEDERAL LAW: The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA) is a federal law that protects individuals who are 40 years of age and older from workplace discrimination on the basis of age. These protections apply to employees and job applicants...
By: Virtus Law Group, Birmingham, Alabama. Disparate Treatment occurs when an employer discriminates against a specific individual or employee because of that person’s race, color, national origin, sex, or religion. In disparate treatment claims, the employer’s intent is at issue. Disparate Impact occurs when an employer...
By: Virtus Law Group, Birmingham Alabama. The Family Medical Leave Act of 1996 (FMLA) is a labor law that entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for qualified family and medical reasons. It also requires that their group health benefits be maintained...
A persistent issue in the area of uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) car insurance coverage is that of stacking. What is “stacking?” Stacking simply refers to being able to combine coverage limits, which are the maximum amounts your insurance will pay you for a covered claim, for multiple vehicles. This...
By: Virtus Law Group, Birmingham Alabama. Alabama does not have state specific wage and overtime laws; therefore, Alabama follows federal wage and overtime laws. Specifically, the federal law is the Fair Labor Standard Act. It outlines federal laws for wage and overtime compliance and violations. One...
By: Virtus Law Group, Birmingham Alabama. An employer's liability for harassment that constitutes a hostile work environment, including sexual harassment, depends on the job role of the individual(s) doing the harassing. The standard for employer liability varies depending on whether the harasser is the victim’s supervisor...
By: Virtus Law Group, Birmingham Alabama. What insurance is available when you’re the passenger of a vehicle involved in a car wreck and injured? As is often the case in legal questions, it depends. Scenario 1: The driver of the vehicle the passenger is in, is at...
By: Virtus Law Group, Birmingham Alabama. The Faragher-Ellerth defense is an affirmative defense used by employers to avoid liability from discrimination claims brought against them under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This defense was the result of two Supreme Court case decisions:...