Can My Employer Trash Me In Job References?

I constantly hear comments like, "I know my employer is only legally allowed to give out my dates of employment and job title." The people who say this are so sure this is the law. They're also wrong, wrong, wrong. They even get angry when I tell them they're wrong.

Here are six things you need to know about job references:

1. Not one single federal law exists limiting what employers can say in references. I know you think you're sure about this law existing. You probably heard it from a friend or on TV. There is no such law.
2. No state prohibits employers from giving out truthful information about an employee's job performance. There is not a single state law that I've found (and I'm sure my employment lawyer colleagues around the country will chime in if they know of one) saying that employers can only give out dates of employment and job title. Discussing job performance is allowed.
3. Most states don't require employers to give any reference at all. Some vindictive employers will simply refuse to return calls from prospective employers. Employees who have to undergo background checks may be disqualified from a job just because a former employer refused to speak. While some states require employers to give out specific limited information, most require nothing at all from former employers. This can also be a problem if you need to apply for unemployment or public assistance.
4. Some states require employers to give former employees a letter with specific information (varies from state to state). These states are California, Delaware, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Washington. You can check out each state's requirements here.
5. Most states give employers some immunity from slander and libel suits. Each state's immunity is a little different, but employers in most states get a lot of leeway in what they can say about former employees.
6. Truth is always a defense to a slander or libel suit. Even in states without immunity, if your employer gives out truthful information, you won't be able to sue for slander or libel. Truth is a defense. If your employer makes false statements of fact (as opposed to opinion), such as falsely saying you stole money or didn't meet quota, then you might have a defamation case against them.

When you leave, it's important to figure out what your former employer is going to say about you to potential employers before you start interviewing. Here are some things you can do to find out.

Ask: Some employers will tell you, if you ask them, what they will say to potential employers in references. Find out if, for instance, they'll say you're eligible for rehire.

Put it in an agreement: If you're presented with a severance agreement, one important point to negotiate will be neutral references. A contract where the employer agrees to only give out dates of employment and job title can be enforced.

Check the union contract: If you have a union, many collective bargaining agreements include a provision that the employer can only give out dates of employment and job title.

Look at your handbook: Many companies have a neutral reference policy. Some have a phone number or person where you're supposed to direct references. A company with a neutral reference policy will usually follow it. They have it for a reason. If you find out your former supervisor is violating the policy, complain to HR or the supervisor's boss. They may get in trouble, and will almost certainly be ordered to cut it out.

Reference-checking company: There are companies that will pretend to be potential employers and check references for you. They can give you a report about what your former employer is saying. If they're saying something untrue, you may want to get a lawyer to write a cease and desist letter for you. If they're breaching a non-disparagement agreement, you might be able to sue for breach of contract.

If you think your former employer is defaming you, or if they are breaching a non-disparagement agreement that they aren't allowed to say negative things about you, contact an employee-side employment lawyer in your state about your rights.

Nondisparagement and Confidentiality Clauses In Severance Agreements Violate NLRA

Just about every single severance agreement I've ever seen in 36 years of law practice have two standard clauses: the former employee cannot disparage the former employer, meaning they can't say anything negative about the company or its employees and frequently to a broader list of entities; and a confidentiality clause prohibiting the former employee from telling anyone about the agreement, frequently prohibiting them from even saying it exists.

Well, the National Labor Relations Board has just ruled that both provisions are illegal under the National Labor Relations Act.

Regarding nondisparagement: 

This far-reaching proscription—which is not even limited to matters regarding past employment with the Respondent— provides no definition of disparagement that cabins that term to its well-established NLRA definition under NLRB v. Electrical Workers Local 1229 (Jefferson Standard Broadcasting Co.), supra, 346 U.S. at 477. Instead, the comprehensive ban would encompass employee conduct regarding any labor issue, dispute, or term and condition of employment of the Respondent. As we explained above, however, employee critique of employer policy pursuant to the clear right under the Act to publicize labor disputes is subject only to the requirement that employees' communications not be so “disloyal, reckless or maliciously untrue as to lose the Act's protection.” Emarco, Inc., 284 NLRB 832, 833 (1987).  

Further, the ban expansively applies to statements not only toward the Respondent but also to “its parents and affiliated entities and their officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives.” The provision further has no temporal limitation but applies “[a]t all times hereafter.” The end result is a sweepingly broad bar that has a clear chilling tendency on the exercise of Section 7 rights by the subject employee. This chilling tendency extends to efforts to assist fellow employees, which would include future cooperation with the Board’s investigation and litigation of unfair labor practices with regard to any matter arising under the NLRA at any time in the future, for fear of violating the severance agreement’s general proscription against disparagement and incurring its very significant sanctions. The same chilling tendency would extend to efforts by furloughed employees to raise or assist complaints about the Respondent with their former coworkers, the Union, the Board, any other government agency, the media, or almost anyone else. In sum, it places a broad restriction on employee protected Section 7 conduct.  We accordingly find that the proffer of the nondisparagement provision violates Section 8(a)(1) of the Act.

Our scrutiny of the confidentiality provision of the severance agreement leads to the same conclusion. The provision broadly prohibits the subject employee from disclosing the terms of the agreement “to any third person.” The employee is thus precluded from disclosing even the existence of an unlawful provision contained in the agreement. This proscription would reasonably tend to coerce the employee from filing an unfair labor practice charge or assisting a Board investigation into the Respondent’s use of the severance agreement, including the nondisparagement provision. Such a broad surrender of Section 7 rights contravenes established public policy that all persons with knowledge of unfair labor practices should be free from coercion in cooperating with the Board. The confidentiality provision has an impermissible chilling tendency on the Section 7 rights of all employees because it bars the subject employee from providing information to the Board concerning the Respondent’s unlawful interference with other employees’ statutory rights. See Metro Networks, supra, 336 NLRB at 67.

Regarding confidentiality:

The provision broadly prohibits the subject employee from disclosing the terms of the agreement “to any third person.”  The employee is thus precluded from disclosing even the existence of an unlawful provision contained in the agreement. This proscription would reasonably tend to coerce the employee from filing an unfair labor practice charge or assisting a Board investigation into the Respondent’s use of the severance agreement, including the nondisparagement provision. Such a broad surrender of Section 7 rights contravenes established public policy that all persons with knowledge of unfair labor practices should be free from coercion in cooperating with the Board.  The confidentiality provision has an impermissible chilling tendency on the Section 7 rights of all employees because it bars the subject employee from providing information to the Board concerning the Respondent’s unlawful interference with other employees’ statutory rights. See Metro Networks, supra, 336 NLRB at 67.

The confidentiality provision would also prohibit the subject employee from discussing the terms of the severance agreement with his former coworkers who could find themselves in a similar predicament facing the decision whether to accept a severance agreement. In this manner, the confidentiality provision impairs the rights of the subject employee’s former coworkers to call upon him for support in comparable circumstances. Additionally encompassed by the confidentiality provision is discussion with the Union concerning the terms of the agreement, or such discussion with a union representing employees where the subject employee may gain subsequent employment, or alternatively seek to participate in organizing, or discussion with future co-workers.  A severance agreement is unlawful if it precludes an employee from assisting coworkers with workplace issues concerning their employer, and from communicating with others, including a union, and the Board, about his employment. Id. Conditioning the benefits under a severance agreement on the forfeiture of statutory rights plainly has a reasonable tendency to interfere with, restrain, or coerce the exercise of those rights unless it is narrowly tailored to respect the range of those rights. Our review of the agreement here plainly shows that not to be the case. We accordingly find that the proffer of the confidentiality provision violates Section 8(a)(1) of the Act. 

So, is this a magic wand? Did such provisions suddenly go poof? No. Management side will fight this decision like cornered rats. Still, keep an eye out for further developments. In the meantime, you might want to file with NLRB if your employer presents you with any such provisions in a proposed severance agreement.

Try Guys: Who The Heck They Are and Why They Were Right

 Lots of folks (like me) saw the Saturday Night Live sketch about the Try Guys and said, "Huh?" I had no idea they were a thing. I assumed that they were made up. I was wrong. So I did some research. Turns out I wasn't the only one going WTH. 

I'll start out with who they are. They're YouTube sensations who try things. Yep. They try stuff and post videos of them trying the stuff. Women's underwear, jousting, cooking. Miscellaneous stuff. That's it. Apparently they make money doing it. About $6 million a year. Which makes me question all my life decisions.

Now the sketch. SNL made fun of the Try Guys for firing the one known as the "wife guy". He is so known as the married persona that he has published a cookbook with his wife, and did an Architectural Digest home tour with said spouse. He was caught making out with a woman who works on a Try Guys spinoff called Food Babies. 

SNL made fun of the firing, but I think, based on what I've read on this, that the Try Guys were probably right in firing him, looking at the employment law issues involved.

Sexual harassment: Since Food Babies is a spinoff, I'm guessing the original four Try Guys had some supervisory authority and decisionmaking power over the Food Babies. But it was consensual! some will cry. But is it really? If someone has supervisory authority, there's an imbalance of power and there's always an issue of pressure. Think Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Think about The Morning Show, which dealt with this kind of pressure pretty well in the first year's plotline. If it crossed the line (and I obviously don't know for sure whether or not it did), and if they investigated and determined that there was some wrongdoing, they are now on notice of his propensity to enter into such relationships with subordinates. They could be liable in the future for punitive damages if they do nothing and he does it again.

Damage to employer: I bet he has an employment contract. And it's not unusual for entertainers to have a morals clause saying they can be fired if they do something to damage the show or the brand, they can be fired. And since his brand was "wife guy" and he has potentially damaged the $6 million click-dependent show, they likely had the right to fire him.

So, yeah. He kissed a girl and it seems like that shouldn't get you fired. But sometimes, it's exactly what could and should get you fired.

Could he have some defenses? Sure. It depends on how his contract is written. But SNL got this wrong. It was not a laughing matter.

Is Your Offer Letter A Contract? Of Course It Is

I see offer letters that make a specific job offer and then say, by the way, this isn't a contract. Guess what? Offer plus acceptance equals contract. I don't care what that disclaimer says, it's still a contract.

Now, what the contract means is another thing. It may say you're at-will, which means they can fire you for any reason or no reason at all. Some states have exceptions to the at-will doctrine. In all states, at-will still doesn't affect your rights under discrimination and whistleblower laws.

Your offer letter probably has your starting position and salary listed. That means the employer is bound by this once you accept. If you're at-will, they can change it, but luring you in with a promise of a management position and high pay and then making you a minimum wage janitor is not only a breach of contract, but is likely fraud.

The offer letter probably also lists benefits and other terms. You are bound by the terms, as is your employer.

Of course, if you sign a more detailed agreement when you start, then the offer letter may be no longer in effect. Most contracts say they supersede all prior contracts. Be careful to read what you sign, especially that giant pile of papers they give you when you start. Don't sign something you can't live with.

If it turns out that the employer had no intention of living up to its deal when it made the offer, such as offering a nonexistent job or benefits, then you could have fraud claims along with your breach of contract claims.

So make sure to keep a copy of that job offer. If it's an email, print it and keep it. Keep anything you sign. It may be a contract, and it might come in handy later. It might also contain post-employment obligations you have to comply with such as a noncompete agreement.

If there's something you don't understand in the offer, make sure you get clarification before you accept. Offer plus acceptance equals contract. If the company is bound, so are you. Pay attention to what you are agreeing. If you don't understand it, get legal advice from an employee-side employment lawyer before you accept.

Inclusion Riders Are A Good Idea In All Types Of Employment Agreements

Frances McDormand made an impassioned plea during her Oscar speech for more diversity. She mentioned the term, "inclusion rider" at the end of her speech. So what is an inclusion rider, and can it be used in non-Hollywood employment agreements?

The idea of the inclusion rider is that stars with lots of negotiating power can help those with little or now power by protecting them in the stars' contracts. So including things like equal pay for costars, diversity in cast and crew, and other clauses to protect coworkers can bring about change in Hollywood.

But would it work in other employment agreements?

I think that it could work for folks who are highly sought-after and who have lots of leverage to negotiate. While those people are rare, they do exist. If you have special skills or recognition in your industry that make you a desirable property, then you could put your money where your mouth is and negotiate to protect your coworkers.

Here are some things you could demand to be added to your employment contract if you are one of the superstars with leverage, and that could make a huge difference in workplace fairness:

• Diversity: While you probably can't demand any particular percentage of racial, gender, LGBT, disability or other diverse employees, because that would also be discrimination, what you can do is demand that your employer recruit in places that provide a more diverse pool of applicants. Recruiting at colleges? Include those schools with a majority of minority students. Placing ads? How about placing ads with AARP, NAACP, and other organizations that have diverse members in addition to the ones in more traditional media?
• Noncompetes: You can negotiate to not have a noncompete in your own contract, but what about your team? You can insist on a clause in your agreement that noncompetes won't be imposed on your coworkers.
• Fair pay: What about a clause that requires pay to be reviewed for your colleagues annually and compared to similar positions in the industry? That requires all colleagues holding the same job title and seniority be paid the same? Prohibiting inquiries about prior salary in job interviews?
• Sexual harassment: You could force the company to take sexual harassment complaints seriously. Include a clause that people making a harassment complaint will be entitled to a full investigation, including interviews of the accused harasser's former subordinates/coworkers. State that the victim will be entitled to be told the full results of the investigation and what, if any, steps the employer took to make sure the harassment won't recur. Include that any retaliation, including ostracism, transfers, demotions, firing, harassment of the victim will result in swift punishment.
• Bullying: Make them adopt and enforce a policy of zero tolerance for bullies. That alone would make a huge difference in your new corporate culture.

These are just a few possibilities. Get creative. So, what issues are important to you? If you talk the talk of diversity and inclusion, and if you are a superstar with negotiating power (don't even try this if you're an entry level worker or someone with no leverage), then you can put your money where your mouth is and negotiate a contract that makes sure your coworkers have fair treatment at work. Wouldn't that make your workplace so much better?

If Your Prospective Employer Has Lots Of Turnover, Think Twice

All the craziness and turnover at the White House has many Americans wondering what anyone joining the Administration is thinking. But I see it all the time. Folks either desperate for a job or getting an offer that's off the charts decide they can handle whatever a difficult employer throws at them.

They're wrong.

First of all, let's look at that off-the-charts offer. It sounds too good to be true, but you have an offer. They promise a contract is forthcoming but it never does. You still leave your job or move across the country for this great opportunity. If the contract didn't show up before you started, it's probably never showing up. You were scammed.

Better yet is the offer to give you a piece of the company. It's verbal only, but you trust them. Still, they never put it in writing. Surprise! Ownership never happens.

At the very least, confirm any offer you get in writing before you accept. Just email them, with a read and a delivery receipt, something like, "Thank you for meeting with me on Thursday. This will confirm my understanding of your offer to me. The salary for the janitorial supervisor position is $10 million per year and I will be conveyed a 50% ownership interest in the company after one year. If this is incorrect, please advise me within 24 hours. I appreciate the opportunity and will advise you of my decision within 48 hours."

If they respond and say yes, that's the offer, then if you accept in writing you have a contract. Offer+acceptance+consideration=contract. If they call you to confirm, then put that in writing too. "This will confirm our conversation today where you confirmed that the salary for the position of janitorial supervisor is $10 million/year with a 50% ownership interest to be conveyed in one year."

Anything important to you, confirm in writing. If you are going to be made General Manager and right now you are a salesperson, put it in writing. If you are going to have relocation expenses reimbursed, put it in writing. If they guarantee that you will have a job for at least a year while you prove yourself, put it in writing.

That won't keep the boss from being a jerk, but at least you have something to prove what was said and take to someone like me.

Now, back to the jerk. It's hard to turn down a job in the White House or the corporate suite. But sometimes that's the best decision.

If you find out (and you should do some due diligence, like checking Glass Door, LinkedIn and other sources to find out about the company and its turnover rates) that there have been 5 people in the position you have applied for in the past two years, run. This is not a good place. Even if they all died of a mysterious illness, maybe you're dealing with a serial killer or toxic mold. Odds are, someone in the company is awful to work with. Maybe the job isn't what was promised. Maybe the boss hurls staplers at people and punches holes in walls.

Or maybe the boss just likes to scream, "You're fired!"

Try to avoid employers with high turnover. Your health and your resume will thank you.

9 Things Every Teen Should Know About Workplace Rights

If you're in high school or college, odds are you're looking for a summer job or internship. Maybe you're even working during the school year. Of course, your school gave you detailed preparation on what your legal rights are when you work. Right? Ha. Not a chance. Schools do roughly zip to prepare teens for the real world workplace. You have to figure this stuff out on your own.

Well, I'm here to help. I wrote last week about sexual harassment, but there's more you need to know. If you're new to the workplace or getting ready to apply for an internship, this is the article for you.

If you are the parent, relative, guardian or friend of a teen who is about to enter the workforce, do them a favor and print, tweet, email (do teens email?), text, Instagram or Pinterest this to them. (You can probably forget about Facebooking it to them since they all fled when their parents got on Facebook.)

Read my article 9 Things Every Teen Should Know About Workplace Rights to find out what your high school or college probably didn't teach you about workplace rights.

If Your Contract Says It Isn't A Contract Is It A Contract?

A reader asks this question in the comments to my post Non-Compete Agreements - Top 5 Ways To Get Out of Yours

In 2012 my husband started working for a contractor. As a subcontractor he signed a subcontract agreement. In which case has schedule of payment as 45 days net and the non compete agreement. As he did sign it but in bold letters it states THIS IS NOT A BINDING CONTRACT AND CAN BE TERMINATED ANYTIME FOR ANY REASON. In 2013 he got let go because they butted heads. (not because he did bad work). Its now been over 125 days and yet still no payment. Does that mean the non compete still applies?

 You gotta love a contract that says it isn't a contract and isn't binding. I actually see this all the time in employee handbook acknowledgements that employees have to sign. I like to point to this language when the employer turns around and tries to enforce noncompete language in the handbook. My conversation usually goes something like this: "Hello? You put right here that it wasn't a contract. Are you saying it is now? Because then I think my client has claims for your failure to follow the progressive discipline policy, along with a bunch of other claims for your failure to follow your own policies." That is usually met with a bunch of muttering under the breath and a quick, "I'll get back to you."

I can't say I've ever seen this kind of weaselly language in a document called "contract" or "agreement." This raises an interesting question. If the document's title says it's a contract, but the language in the document says it isn't a contract, then what the heck is it?

The one thing it isn't is a contract. That means, IMHO, that your noncompete obligations in the document are also not a contract that they can enforce. Would a judge agree with me? Maybe. The issue, if they had the nerve to sue over this non-contract contract, would be the intent of the parties. I assume the employer will say something like, "I meant that it was terminable at will, not that the noncompete part wasn't a contract." I don't think this would fly, since any ambiguity is supposed to be construed against the drafter.

The other issue is the failure to pay all sums due. Once they breach a contract (assuming it's a contract) then your obligations should be null and void. Again, I can't guarantee a judge would agree with me, but there's plenty of case law in Florida on this and presumably every other state has similar cases. This is basic contract law - once a party breaches a contract, the other party's obligations vanish.

If you haven't been paid wages due, then you probably also have claims under your state's unpaid wage laws, unjust enrichment, wage theft, breach of verbal contract, or some other legal theory. You should talk to an employment lawyer in your state about what claims you have and let them review your agreement to see if they agree that your noncompete may not be binding

Vikings Football Player Speaks Up For Gay Marriage, Is Fired: Can He Sue? Maybe

Chris Kluwe is a punter for the NFL. He used to play for the Minnesota Vikings. That is, until he started speaking up in favor of marriage equality. He got permission from the team to do some ads for the cause, but things changed when he wrote and published a letter to a Maryland state official defending a Ravens football player's right to free speech on the same subject. After that, his coach asked him to stop. He didn't.

His coach began to make negative comments about gays repeatedly in Kluwe's presence that they hadn't made in all the years he had worked for them. He also made comments to the effect that Kluwe, "would wind up burning in hell with the gays, and that the only truth was Jesus Christ and the Bible"

He was singled out for harsh criticisms that others had not been subjected to. The comments got increasingly angry, such as: "We should round up all the gays, send them to an island, and then nuke it until it glows."

He was instructed to kick in such a way that it helped the team but made him look worse in the stats. Ultimately, he was replaced. His full statement about what he says happened is here. A story that has the team's response is here.  The team is now investigating and maybe they'll do something, maybe not. 

Let's assume everything he says is true. Does he have a remedy? Let's examine what possible claims he may raise:

• Free speech: This would be a non-starter. I've written about the fact that there's no free speech at work here, here, here and here. The First Amendment protects you against government action, not corporate action.
• Sexual orientation discrimination: Minnesota has a law against sexual orientation discrimination, but there's no law protecting speech in favor of marriage equality. If he were fired for objecting to sexual orientation discrimination within the team, then he would be protected against retaliation, but there's still no openly gay football player in the NFL. The law in Minnesota does protect against perceived sexual orientation discrimination, but I see no indication that the coach actually thought he was gay. If Minnesota has an association discrimination provision in the law, then maybe he can argue he was fired for associating with gays. My guess is he's out of luck on sexual orientation discrimination.
• Political activity: Minnesota has a law on the books making it a crime to retaliate against an employee because of that person's political activity. I think this one may be a winner. The question will be whether he has a remedy under this law because it makes violations a misdemeanor. Any Minnesota lawyers out there want to weigh in?
• Contract: He almost certainly has an employment contract and I know absolutely zero about football contracts. I'd guess they can dump a player pretty much at will, although there may be some hoops they have to jump through. Unless he can only be fired for cause, or the contract says he can't be fired for political activity or for discriminatory reasons, he may have little or no remedy there. Anyone know what's in his contract?
• Religious discrimination: If his coach actually told him he'd burn in hell, this would be the way I'd probably go with it. The coach has strong religious beliefs against gay marriage and Kluwe doesn't share those religious beliefs. In Florida, with no law protecting against political activity discrimination or sexual orientation discrimination, this might be the only way to go with a case like this one. I recently wrote about whether religious discrimination laws allow harassment of employees for various reasons, which you can read here.

Can he sue? I'd say maybe. He has one possible federal claim, one pretty good state law claim and one possible state law claim. I'm guessing we haven't heard the last of Mr. Kluwe, so we'll soon find out.

I said it to conservatives and now I'll say it to liberals: it's best to keep those controversial opinions to yourself at work and in public. If you have a boss who holds strong contrary views, or if you're likely to offend your employer's customers with your opinions, keep them to yourself and your friends (but not in social media). I guess it's a good thing I'm my own boss . . .

Does Your Religion Excuse Homophobic, Racist or Sexist Behavior At Work?

When I wrote the piece about Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson and his suspension for making racist and anti-gay comments in an interview done to promote his show, many readers told me that Mr. Robertson should be protected by religious discrimination laws. After all, the argument went, he was only expressing his religious beliefs about gays.

Bob
Tt is not freedom of speech, it is freedom of RELIGION--what Phil said was congruent with what the Bible says. Violation of the free exercise clause is the issue, not speech. Can you imagine firing an employee because they expressed atheist beliefs or supported Obama and his queer minions?????

Even though employers have to accommodate religious beliefs at work, do religious discrimination laws allow you to express your beliefs that "the gay lifestyle," and gay marriage are sinful? Are you allowed to tell your female coworkers that women belong in the home and should be subordinate to men? Can you dig out old Jeff Davis's views of the Bible to share with your African-American co-workers?

I write about the legal issues involved in determining how much religious expression at work is protected, and when it isn't in my latest article at AOL Jobs.

How To Tell If Your Employer Is Spying On You

You may know that your employer can legally spy on you at work (and outside of work) in several ways. But how do you actually know if your employer is snooping? Here are some signs that your employer may be spying on you:

Read more at Jobs Week on AOL Jobs.

13 Things Every Teen Needs To Know About Workplace Rights

School’s out for summer! Or it will be soon, and many teens will start summer jobs or even their very first real job. Yet schools do little, if anything, to prepare teens for the realities of the workplace. I’m always shocked when I encounter teens whose parents drag them to me after they suffer workplace abuse with no idea they have any rights at all.

So, if you’re a teen entering the workplace or thinking of applying for a job, read this. If you’re a parent, friend or relative of a teen who is entering the workforce, please print this and show it to them.

Here are 13 things teens need to know about workplace rights that their school probably didn’t teach them:

1. Minimum Wage: Federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. However, there is something called the youth minimum wage, which means that for the first 90 calendar days of any new job you can be paid as little as $4.25 per hour if you are under 20. State minimum wages may be higher. Here in Florida, the minimum wage is $7.79. Tipped employees may be paid a minimum wage of $2.13/hour as long as their wages including tips equal at least the higher of the state and federal minimum wage. State minimum wages for tipped employees vary. In Florida, it’s $4.77/hour. More details about wages can be found here.

2. Hours: If you are under 16, under Federal law your work hours are limited. You can’t work during school hours at all, and you can’t work more than 3 hours on a school day, including Friday; more than 18 hours a week when school is in session; more than 8 hours a day when school is not in session; more than 40 hours a week when school is not in session; and before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on any day, except from June 1st through Labor Day, when you can work until 9 p.m. Federal law doesn’t limit work hours for teens 16 or older, but your state laws may. For instance, Florida law says if you’re under 18 you can’t work during school hours (with exceptions), and that if you’re 16 or 17 you may only work up to 30 hours per week, not before 6:30 a.m. or later than 11 p.m. and for no more than 8 hours a day when school is scheduled the following day, and for no more than 6 consecutive days.

3. Breaks: Federal law doesn’t require any work breaks. However, many states require work breaks, especially for workers under 18. In Florida, workers under 18 are not allowed to work more than 4 consecutive hours without a 30 minute uninterrupted work break. For breaks of more than 20 minutes, employers don’t have to pay. Breaks 20 minutes and under are hours worked that need to be paid.

4. Sexual Harassment: If your boss, coworker, customer, vendor or potential boss is harassing you because of your gender or gender identity, that’s sexual harassment, and it’s illegal. This includes unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, offensive comments about men or women in general, off-color jokes, touching, and other harassment that is either so severe or so frequent that it alters the terms and conditions of your employment. A single offhand comment may not be sexual harassment, but a single incident that is severe could be. As a minor, you have added protection. Any adult sexually harassing you is probably committing a crime, and could be a sexual predator. It is really important that you read the company’s sexual harassment policy when you start working and write down where you are supposed to report it if it occurs. You don’t have to be afraid, and you should not let yourself become a victim. People you can and probably should report sexual harassment to are your Human Resources department at work and your parents. If you’ve been touched, then you may want to contact the police. If you see someone else being sexually harassed, you should report it. Harassers will keep doing it, and their behavior will get worse, unless an adult stops them.

5. Contracts: In most states, if you’re under 18 you can’t be bound by a contract, including an employment contract. You (or your parents) can void a contract you’ve signed while underage. However, once you turn 18, you probably can’t void it anymore. Employment contracts might have provisions saying you can’t work for a competitor for a year or two, waiving your right to a jury trial, confidentiality obligations, and other important clauses. If you are asked to sign a contract, always read it and keep a copy once you’ve signed. If you don’t understand it, talk to your parents or an employment lawyer in your state about it.

6. Internships: While many teens take unpaid internships for the summer, most employers get internships wrong. If your internship is not a real learning experience for you, then you probably have to be paid for the work you do. An internship is supposed to be training similar to that you would receive in a vocational school. Filing, stuffing envelopes, and answering phones should normally be paid. Internship assignments should build on each other so you develop more skills, similar to the way each chapter of a textbook builds on the other. You should be getting training that benefits you, and you should be getting more benefit than the company. If they can make money off what you're doing, or if you're saving them from having to pay another employee, you probably have to be paid.

7. At-will: If you live anywhere but Montana, your employment is probably at-will, meaning your employer can fire you for any reason or no reason at all (with some exceptions). They can fire you because they’re in a bad mood, because they didn’t like your shirt, or because you lipped off to them like you lip off to your parents. Exceptions that would make a firing illegal include firing due to discrimination, making a worker’s comp claim, and blowing the whistle on illegal activity of the company. If your boss tells you to do something that isn’t illegal (or sexual harassment), then do it. No eye-rolling, back-talk or attitude.

8. Social Media and Cell Phones: You are expected to work during work hours. That means no texting, emailing, calling, tweeting, instagraming, facebooking, downloading, or surfing at work, unless it’s work-related. If you check your texts, emails, or social media on a company computer, cell phone or other device, the company probably has the right to look at it. If you view or send inappropriate pictures, jokes, or videos, you can be fired for doing so. There is very little privacy in the workplace, and you have few rights. Assume you’re being watched at all times at work and you won’t go wrong. Oh, and remember all those party pics and embarrassing photos you posted before you started applying for work? Employers and potential employers can see them. You probably want to check your social media pages and pull down anything you can that might be inappropriate for an employer to see.

9. Human Resources: If your employer is big enough, you probably have someone who is designated as the Human Resources person or a whole department called “Human Resources.” It may be referred to as HR. This is the place to go for information about work rules, to report sexual harassment or discrimination, and you’ll probably have to go there on your first day to fill out a stack of forms. While they can be very helpful if you have questions or concerns, they aren’t your buddies. Human Resources represents your employer, not you. They aren’t your mom or your best friend, so don’t go to them with every petty complaint, confess you did something wrong, or tell them about the wild party you went to over the weekend. Keep it professional.

10. Discrimination: Discrimination against you for being you isn’t illegal. However, discrimination and harassment due to race, sex, sexual identity, national origin, disability, religion, color, pregnancy and genetic information are. In some states, there are more categories of illegal discrimination. For instance, in Florida it’s illegal to discriminate against you because you’re too young or because of marital status. Whether sexual orientation is a protected category depends on your state and local law. No federal law bars sexual orientation discrimination.

11. Bullying: While your school might have zero tolerance for bullying, your workplace may be a bullying free-for-all. No federal or state law exists that prohibits workplace bullying. However, workplace bullies are very much like school bullies: they focus on the weak and the different. If you need to complain about a bully, make sure you do it in a way that’s protected. If the bully is picking on the weak, are they weak because of a disability, pregnancy, or age? If they’re picking on the different, is the difference based on race, national origin, age, or religion? If you report illegal discrimination, the law protects you from retaliation. If you report bullying, no law protects you.

12. Dangerous Work: It is every employer’s duty to maintain a safe workplace. If you think your workplace is unsafe, you can contact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to report dangerous conditions and get more information. Certain jobs are deemed too hazardous for teens under 18 to do. A plain English description of the 17 jobs considered too dangerous for minors is here. There’s a different list for agricultural work that applies to workers under 16.

13. What Kind Of Work You Can Do: Depending on your age, there may be limits on the type of work you can do. If you are under 14, you can work, but your options are limited. You can deliver newspapers, babysit, act or perform, work as a homeworker gathering evergreens and making evergreen wreaths, or work for a business owned by your parents as long as it’s not mining, manufacturing or one of the occupations designated as hazardous. If you are 14 or 15, you can do things like retail, lifeguarding, running errands, creative work, computer work, clean-up and yard work that doesn’t use dangerous equipment, some food service and other restaurant work, some grocery work, loading and unloading, and even do some work in sawmills and wood shops. We’re talking non-manufacturing and non-hazardous jobs only. If you are 16 or 17, you can do any job that isn’t labeled as hazardous.

The Department of Labor has a website where you can get more information about employment laws that apply to teens. An interactive advisor about federal law may be found here.

Of course, my book Stand Up For Yourself Without Getting Fired can help anyone new to the workplace since it covers how to handle workplace crises and issues from the interview and application, to your first day and that giant stack of papers, to workplace disputes, to promotions, to termination, and even post-termination.

Lies Your Employer Tells You

Employees, for the most part, believe everything their employer tells them. Most of the time, your employer's interests and yours coincide. You have a job to do, and they want you to do it. But sometimes, those interests collide. Sometimes, you have to take what your employer says with a grain of salt. Other times, they're flat-out lying.

Here are some lies your employer may tell you, and why you shouldn't believe them:

You have to resign: Flat-out lie. Nobody can make you quit your job. They may want you to sign a letter of resignation. That means they probably get out of paying unemployment, and may be able to convince a judge or jury that you left willingly instead of being forced out. Don't resign unless you're getting a severance package or something else that makes it worth it.

Sign this and you can keep your job: Depends on what it is. If you're told by the Risk Management guy who locked you in a room for hours and accused you of stealing that you can keep your job if you admit to stealing, it's a lie. You'll be fired and possibly arrested as soon as you sign. If it's a noncompete agreement, there are states that allow your employer to say, "sign or be fired." My state, Florida, is one of them. Some states don't allow this. Check with an employment lawyer in your state before you give up your right to work for a competitor.

These are never enforced: Horse hockey. Flat-out lie. Why would your employer ask you to sign an agreement that's never enforced? It's because they think it will be enforced. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar. Before you sign something you think won't be enforceable, check with an employment lawyer in your state.

We'd never do that: Flat-out lie. If your employer is trying to get you to agree that you give up your copyright to your novel, your rights to the video game you're designing in your spare time, or your LinkedIn contacts, they're lying if they say they would never actually invoke that part of the agreement. They wouldn't ask you to sign it if they didn't intend to enforce it.

We've never enforced this before: That may be true, but it doesn't mean you won't be the first. If they don't intend to enforce a noncompete, an intellectual property agreement or other provision, they shouldn't have a problem deleting it. Otherwise, assume the worst.

We're here to help: HR may tell you they're the employee's friend. They may be able to help you as long as your interests align with the company's, but they exist to protect the company, not you. You may have to report sexual harassment, apply for FMLA leave, or seek disability accommodations through them, but that doesn't make them your friend or ally. Do what you have to do, but put it in writing. Cover yourself. You can bet HR is covering the company.

Those are just some of the lies you may be told at work. Don't be fooled. Can you think of other lies your employers have told you? I'd love to hear about it.

Employees: You Have The Right To Say No

I'm constantly surprised by the number of employees who come to me after having signed things their employer shoved in front of them, released claims, accepted transfers or demotions, or even admitted to stealing when they didn't. I ask them, "Why didn't you say no?" They look at me like I've turned into a Martian.

Too many employees don't realize that they do have some rights in the workplace. One major right you have is the ability to just say, "no." That's right. You can say no to your employer.

Does that mean you should say no when you get an assignment you don't like? No. Does it mean you should say no when your supervisor tells you to do something outside your job description? Probably not. Most of the time, saying no will get you slapped with discipline or termination for insubordination. But there are times you should respectfully decline.

Here are some situations where you should definitely exercise the power of "no" at work:

Severance: I suggest that employees never sign a severance agreement the day they get it, especially if they're presented with it when terminated. Instead, tell them you want to review it and take it home. Read it carefully. If you don't understand it, take it to an employee-side employment attorney. You should definitely refuse to sign it if you are releasing claims against the company for minimal dollars, if they are inserting a noncompete provision when you don't already have one, or if you are being told you have to release claims when you're already entitled to severance according to an employment agreement or company severance plan.

Termination papers: You're in your termination meeting. They shove a paper in front of you stating that you've been terminated and every reason in the world why you suck. They demand you sign. Don't do it! Why would you? You don't work for them anymore. They can't make you. What's your upside? If you feel like there's no harm, then sign, "As to receipt only." Make sure you aren't agreeing to what they are saying. You aren't thinking straight, so be very careful.

Resignation: "My employer made me quit." I hear that a lot. How did they do that? Did they hold a gun to your head. Unless you are being offered something substantial in exchange for your resignation (or if the gun scenario really occurs), why would you agree to quit? Make them fire you. At least then you'll probably qualify for unemployment. If you resign, they may say you don't qualify. Some people think it looks better on a resume, but who do you really think you're fooling? Nobody resigns in this economy without having a job lined up unless there's a real problem. That gap in your resume is going to be bad, resignation or no. Instead, if they really want your resignation, get something in exchange for it. Use it to negotiate severance, to get out of a noncompete, or to get something else you really want. You may need help here, so now is probably a good time to talk to an attorney rather than jumping into something.

Admission of a crime: If you're put in a room with Risk Management and told to sign a paper saying you stole something if you want to save your job, don't do it! You're admitting to a crime. Never admit to a crime. First of all, you're fired as soon as you sign. Second, the employer may be entitled to sue you for the value of the item plus two or three times its value, plus attorney's fees and costs. It's a trick. Don't fall for it. Practice these words: "I want to speak with an attorney." Repeat as necessary. By the way, they can't make you stay in that room. Tell them you want to leave. Then leave. If they physically stop you, call 911 or scream for help. Seriously. Then go see a criminal defense attorney.

Demotion or pay cut: If you're given a demotion or pay cut you just can't live with, sometimes it's better to say no and apply for unemployment. If you take the job and can't survive on the money, but will be unable to look for a job while you have the job from hell, then you'll have to quit and probably are disqualified from getting unemployment. There are times it's best to say no.

Promotion: If you're offered a promotion that makes you exempt from overtime, doubles your work, decreases your pay, and the last three guys who held the job died at their desk, say no. Get the details before you accept that promotion. Sometimes, overtime pay means you'll make more and have a better life if you stay where you are.

Release: Severance packages usually come with a release of every claim you ever had or might have against the company. I see some companies that have severance plans requiring severance if the employee is laid off that try to get a release even though you're already entitled to severance. I also see people with employment contracts that entitle them to severance being asked to sign a release in order to get it. Say no. Say it again. Run, don't walk, to an employment lawyer in your state. (Better yet, email them). Why on earth would you release discrimination or other claims when you don't have to? If they want that release, make them give you something you want in exchange.

Transfer: You're being asked to transfer across country in the middle of the school year. Your kids are about to take their SATs, your spouse has a job they love. Say no! At the very least, make sure you get a contract, including that they'll pay your moving expenses, help with getting your spouse and kids situated, and guarantee you a minimum amount of severance if you're fired without cause. Better yet, negotiate that you can only be fired for cause and get a specific term of employment for no less than a year. If they won't put enough guarantees and incentives in writing to make it worth your while, take a pass.

Anything illegal: No job is worth going to jail. And guess who they'll throw under the bus when Johnny Law comes a-callin'? It's you. Say no. Better yet, say no in writing. You might want to look at some whistleblower laws to make sure you're doing what you have to do to protect yourself, or talk to an employment attorney about your rights.

Polygraph: The Employee Polygraph Protection Act prohibits most private employers and potential employers from demanding you take a polygraph, and from firing you if you say no. There are exceptions, but they are few. Polygraphs are not admissible in court because they are not reliable. They can say you're lying when you're not. Say no unless you fall within one of the exceptions. If you committed a crime and you are told you have to take it or be fired, take the firing and go see a criminal defense attorney post haste.

These are just some examples of when it's best to exercise the power of "no" at work. I bet you can think of some more. So go ahead. Say no to your employer.

Why Did the Lawyer Put This in My Severance Agreement?: The Cooperation Clause

This continues my series of posts deconstructing the legal gobbeldy-goop in employment agreements. Today I'll talk about a clause I often see in severance agreements: the cooperation clause. It may look something like this:

Employee agrees to cooperate with Employer in connection with any legal matters, if so requested by the Company, including agreeing to make himself available at the Employer's request to assist with matters requiring the provision of information and/or testimony.

Yikes! My clients never like this and neither do I. And really, what good do most employers think is going to come from having an employee they axed testify on their behalf? My first response is usually to ask that this be taken out of the agreement. However, management-side attorneys love these clauses, so here's what I usually do that will work.

First, I ask for language something like this:

Such cooperation shall be arranged so as not to interfere with Employee's employment and/or business.

That way I don't have to worry about the jerk employer who says the employee has to come in during the key sales meeting, the peak busy time, or their first day at a new job. If the employer wants cooperation, they can arrange it after hours or on a weekend so the employee doesn't get fired from their new job. If they want a deposition, same thing. Depositions can be scheduled to work around times that will get the employee fired from their new job. Without this language, the employer can say, "Tough tookies," when the employee cries foul.

The other language I ask for is that the employee be paid for their time. While they probably can't be paid for their time testifying, I want to make sure my client doesn't become an indentured servant forced to help their former employer respond to complicated discovery requests or submit to endless deposition preparation sessions. Even if it's a deposition, the employee should be compensated for their expenses, such as parking fees, gas mileage, and other out of pocket expenses incurred in this cooperation.

Forcing an ex-employee to work for free probably violates the Fair Labor Standards Act in any event, so even if payment isn't in this clause, an employer who goes too far with their demands might run afoul of the Department of Labor.

Why Did The Lawyer Put This In My Settlement Agreement?: Tax Indemnification

This will continue my series of posts about deconstructing the legalese in employment contracts. This week I'll discuss some language I frequently see in severance or settlement agreements when at least some of the money being paid isn't having taxes withheld. The clause will look something like this:

Employer makes no representation as to the taxability of the amounts paid to Employee. Employee agrees to pay federal or state taxes, if any, which are required by law to be paid by Employee with respect to this settlement. Moreover, Employee agrees to indemnify Employer and hold it harmless from any interest, taxes or penalties assessed against it by any governmental agency as a result of Employee's non-payment of taxes on any amounts paid to Employee or Employee's attorney under the terms of this Agreement.

The reason the employer wants this language is that most employment law settlements are for back wages, future lost wages, or severance, which are wages. Wages must have taxes withheld and the employer has to pay its share of employment taxes on them. If the IRS should come back later and claim more (or all) of it should have been wages, the employer wants the employee to agree they'll pay both the employee's and the employer's share of employment taxes on this.

I'm unusual in the way I request settlement money be paid to clients. I usually ask that the employee's portion be paid as wages. I have a couple reasons for this. First of all, no matter how many times I tell the employee to set aside about 1/3 of the money in a CD that comes due on April 1 so they can pay their taxes, it's too tempting to spend the money. I've had too many people call me crying in April that they can't pay their taxes. Second, if IRS should determine that the money should have been wages, my clients can't afford to pay their employer's share of taxes on top of theirs. It's a risk that I usually don't recommend.

Now, let's go back to this tax clause. I used to not object to it being added as is. If my client asks that some of the money be set aside as something other than wages, they should be willing to take the risk that they got it wrong. (On the other hand, if the employer insists that some portion of it be designated compensatory damages or emotional distress damages so they can save money, I insist they take this language out). I say I used to agree because I actually had one employer, after the fact, argue that this clause meant they could withhold the employee's federal income tax and employment taxes, then not pay them in, plus they said they didn't have to pay in their share of employment taxes on the wages amount.

It's probably an only-in-South-Florida thing, but still, this kind of jerkish behavior means I have to change the language in the future. Here's what I now ask employers to add to this clause:

This provision shall not apply to Employer's obligation to pay in amounts withheld and its share of employment taxes on the amount paid pursuant to paragraph ___.

The blank, of course, is filled with the subparagraph that sets out the amount being paid to the employee as wages.

When the attorney's fees are being paid, I insist they be paid separately because they aren't wages. Under the Civil Rights Tax Fairness Act, which used to be part of the mostly-rejected Civil Rights Tax Relief Act, they are still income to both the client and my firm. However, the client should be able to take an above-the-line deduction on their tax return (whatever the heck that is - ask your accountant) so it comes out as a wash.

Basically, there's no way to structure an employment law settlement so any portion of it isn't taxable, at least that I've ever heard of. There have been efforts to pass the Civil Rights Tax Relief Act for decades, all of which have failed. This law would make emotional distress damages tax-free. If you think it's wrong to tax emotional distress damages, which makes it harder to settle employment cases for both employers and employees, talk to your member of Congress.

In the meantime, expect to see these tax indemnification clauses in your agreements, and beware unscrupulous employers who try to use them to force you to pay their share of taxes.

Why Did The Lawyer Put This In My Employment Contract?: The Termination Clause

In yet another attempt to explain the legalese that lurks in your employment contracts, today I'll talk about some of the language you might see in the contract you sign when you're first hired: the termination clause. It's something you don't really want to think about when you're all excited about a new job offer, but it's almost always in there.

You're most likely to see something like this, if not in a contract or offer letter, then in your handbook:

You agree and understand that your employment is at-will.

Your eyes probably glazed over and you didn't think about this. But the next time you are handed a contract to sign that says this, I suggest you think about it seriously. What this means is that you agree you can be terminated for any reason or no reason at all. If your new boss is in a bad mood three days after you start, even if you gave up a steady job of 5 or 10 years to take this new offer, you're out of there with no severance at all. Especially if you're moving, leaving another job, or are a hot commodity (you have an expertise, a degree, experience or something else that makes you able to pick and choose), I suggest you try to negotiate a better clause than this one.

A slightly more acceptable clause:

You agree that the Company may terminate your employment by giving 90 days' notice. If the termination is for cause, the Company may terminate your employment without notice.

 At least in this one, the company has to give you some notice, or pay out the notice period as severance. The clause might have more or less notice, depending on what you negotiated, but the notice is important. It's also important to define what "cause" for termination will be. If you leave it up to the company to determine whether or not your performance is up to par with no way to measure, then you might as well be at-will.

What's concerning about a clause like this one is sometimes people spend lots of time negotiating the length of the agreement. Say you negotiate a contract with a one year term, with automatic renewals at the end. You think you've assured you have something steady for at least a year. But this clause completely negates that one year. Whatever notice the company puts in here that they have to give, that's likely how much they'll have to pay out.

Even better would be:

This agreement may only be terminated for cause. In the event of termination for cause, the company shall give notice of the alleged cause and give you 30 days to cure the problem before termination.

You still need to worry about defining what constitutes cause, but with this clause you have a chance to fix things if the company thinks you're messing up. If they fire you for no cause, they have to pay out the rest of the contract. That's great if you have lots of time left on it, but if you don't, you might have been better off with the provision above. Still, if I have my druthers, I'll pick this one over that. At least you'll have time to prove yourself, so your move won't be a complete hardship.

If you have lots of leverage, or if the employer wants you bad enough, you might get lucky and get a clause like this:

In the event of termination, the company will pay you 6 months of severance.

Notice it says nothing about cause or no cause. With this one, it doesn't matter how much you mess up. As long as you haven't breached the contract in some way, the employer has to pay out your severance no matter the reason for termination. This kind of clause is especially good if you have a noncompete. If you have to stay out of the industry 6 months, they should pay you 6 months so you can survive. If they want you to stay out longer, you should try to negotiate a longer payout.

Even though you don't want to think about getting fired or laid off, you have to if you want to survive in this economy. If you have any leverage at all to negotiate a better contract, the termination clause is one of the most important clauses to get right.

Why Did The Lawyer Put This In My Contract?: Confidentiality

This will continue my attempt to explain some of the legal mumbo jumbo in your employment contract, and why the lawyers put it there. Today, I'll talk about confidentiality. You may see a sentence or two in your agreement that look something like this:

I promise that I will keep all matters relating to this Agreement confidential and that I will not discuss, disclose or provide information concerning any term of this Agreement to any person or entity, except to my spouse, my attorney, my accountant or tax advisor, the Internal Revenue Service, or pursuant to a subpoena.

This is fairly typical one-sided confidentiality language that your employer's attorneys like to stick into most agreements.

Here's why your employer's lawyer put the confidentiality clause in the agreement: 

It's very simple. They don't want you to tell coworkers about the money you got, or your terms of employment. If they put it in your offer letter or employment agreement, they are trying to keep you from telling colleagues what you make, what benefits you are getting, and whether you have anything cool in the agreement like severance, termination for cause only, or bonuses.

If they put it in your severance agreement, it's because they don't want you to tell your former coworkers that you got severance, how much, if you got any extras like health insurance, and if the company waived your noncompete.

If they put it in your noncompete agreement, they're pretty silly. What's the point of having a noncompete you can't show potential employers? Smart management-side lawyers put in language that you must show the noncompete to potential employers. That way, if you violate it, they can come after the competitor and you. How can they come after a company who can prove you weren't allowed to show it to them and therefore they couldn't have been on notice of it?

Here's what you should ask for:

If your employer wants you to keep the agreement confidential, they should too. Most employers (I'm talking about you, HR departments) leak like sieves. There are no secrets. You'll get blamed for blabbing even if your supervisor or HR is a gossip and can't keep a secret. If the confidentiality provision is mutual, then the company will usually read the Riot Act to anyone who knows about the agreement and threaten them within an inch of their employment if they gossip. I've never had one leak that I know of with a mutual confidentiality clause, but I've seen plenty of leaks with one-sided clauses.

Your employer will tell you that it's in their best interest to keep it confidential, and they have no incentive to tell. True for the company, but not true for a person in the company who likes to play I Have A Secret.

If the provision is in your employment agreement and you aren't in management, your employer might have a problem. The NLRB is taking the position that agreements prohibiting employees from discussing working conditions are a no-no. The National Labor Relations Act, which is what NLRB handles, doesn't cover supervisors, so the company can still get away with this language once you are in management.

Watch out for damages

If the provision is in your severance agreement, they'll try to stick in some heinous penalty if you violate, with no similar provision for themselves (because, of course, they'd never violate confidentiality). They'll say if you violate you must return all of your severance, or that you have to pay liquidated damages of something like $5000. Don't agree to that if you can help it. I actually sat through a witness deposition of a person who wasn't testifying the way the employer would like, so they asked her if she'd told anyone about her severance agreement. She admitted she'd told her mom. The lawyers indicated that she'd violated her confidentiality agreement and they would be coming after her. Can you say witness tampering?

Anyhow, it's tempting to tell immediate family members, fiances, domestic partners or someone else who isn't included in the language about who you can tell. If you violate the agreement, let the employer prove they were damaged. I'd like to see them prove they were damaged when you told your dad.

If you really can't get them to budge on the liquidated damages and can't afford to tell them to go pound sand, then think about who you can't resist telling and make sure they're on the list. If you're going to tell your fiance or domestic partner, list them. It's way tempting to hurt someone after a breakup by calling the ex-employer and telling them you know everything, so make sure you zip it if you aren't allowed to tell. If the employer agrees to include them, the employer will want to include language that you'll tell them about the confidentiality and you'll be liable if they breach, so be careful who you tell.

It's tempting to tell people how you got a great deal, how much more you make than that jerk over in the corner, or how much they paid you when you left. That's why the company put a confidentiality provision in your agreement. Don't give into temptation once you agree to confidentiality. Your former employer will very possibly come after you if you blab.

Why Did The Lawyer Put This In My Contract?: The Merger Clause

I negotiate and review a whole lot of contracts. I've been doing it so long that I forget some of this stuff looks like gibberish to normal people. By normal, I mean non-lawyers, of course. I thought I'd pick out some regular legal gobbledy-gook and deconstruct it for you here. Today, I'd like to talk about the merger clause, also called the integration clause. You may see something that looks like this in your employment agreement, severance agreement, noncompete agreement, or other contract your employer hands you to sign.

This document contains the entire agreement between the parties. This Agreement cannot be modified unless an authorized representative of the company and I agree to do so in writing. 

 Looks harmless enough. The language is pretty clear, right? It's the whole agreement between your employer and you. You can't change it and neither can they unless you both sign a new piece of paper modifying the agreement or canceling it.

And yet, it's an incredibly important two sentences.

Here's why your employer's lawyer put the merger clause in the agreement:

Your employer wants the language because they don't want you to claim that they promised you a big bonus two months later, or that they told you not to worry about that noncompete stuff. Their lawyers put it in so they make sure you can't come after them based on a side verbal agreement.The language is there to protect your employer.

But it also protects you.

Here's why you should care about your merger clause:

Let's say you sign an employment agreement that has a noncompete provision, something that says you can't work for a competitor for a year or two. The agreement also sets out your salary, benefits, and job title. It says you can be fired at-will, meaning you can be fired for any reason or no reason at all.

Scenario 1: You work 6 months and then your employer tells you that they can't afford your salary anymore. The new salary is a 10% reduction of what they promised in the agreement. You can take it or leave it. You can't afford to lose your job, so you take it. You never sign anything agreeing to the change. When you get a job offer from the competitor, you take another look at the employment agreement. You realize the employer has breached the agreement on your salary. Their breach may be a complete defense to the enforceability of the noncompete provision. No, it isn't a magic wand that makes it go away. But you have a pretty good defense, and they might owe you money to boot.

Scenario 2: After a year, the employer drops its insurance coverage because it's too expensive. But they never have you sign anything agreeing to modify your contract to agree to this. They're in breach of the contract. You might have another defense, and they might owe you the money you have to pay for insurance.

Scenario 3: You're fired. Your employer hands you a severance agreement offering 2 weeks of salary in exchange for a release. It also has a merger clause saying it's the entire agreement between the parties. The new agreement doesn't mention your noncompete obligations. You decide to accept the 2 weeks and move on. You get an offer from a competitor. Can you take it? You betcha. The old agreement is gone with the wind. Your former employer might have a malpractice claim against the lawyer who forgot to have you reaffirm the noncompete obligations in the new agreement, but they have no claim against you.

Who knew two sentences could mean so much? Now you know why lawyers put merger clauses into your employment agreements, and why every sentence matters.

Can Your Boss Fire You For Taking Vacation?

It’s summer, and thoughts of vacation are in the air. You shouldn’t have to worry about your job while you’re on vacation. Or should you? A recent study shows that 70% of Americans are leaving some or all of their vacation days unused because they are afraid of losing their jobs.

You’ve earned three weeks of vacation, and wow, did you work for it. You put in for your three weeks, got it approved, and planned your trip. You have non-refundable tickets to your dream cruise. A week before you leave, you mention that Jane will be covering for you while you’re gone. Your boss says, “Oh, you were serious about taking vacation?” You nod, meekly. You ask a coworker what she thinks he meant. You find out that the last three people who went on vacation were fired.

The short answer is: yes. There is no law requiring an employer give you any paid vacation. I hear stories all the time of people fired a few days or a week into a scheduled vacation. Even worse, they’re fired the day before they’re scheduled to leave. They were counting on the vacation pay to cover the cost of the trip. Now they’re left in the lurch.

Vacations are good for you and good for employers. They keep morale higher, prevent employee burnout, reduce stress, and keep you healthier. The good news is that most employers won’t fire you for taking your vacation.

Still, the fear of being fired for taking vacation is justified. If you live anywhere but Montana, you’re probably an at-will employee. That means you can be fired for any reason or no reason at all. Do you have any rights? Yes, but not many.

Here are some circumstances where it would be illegal to fire you for taking a vacation: 

Family and Medical Leave: If you have scheduled surgery, are pregnant with a due date, or have an immediate family member who has scheduled medical care, you might be protected. If you put in for FMLA leave, your employer must let you use your paid sick and vacation time first before they put you on unpaid leave. If you’re fired because you used your vacation for FMLA leave, you may be protected. 

Contract: If your employment contract says you’re entitled to vacation, then firing you for taking it might be breach of contract. 

Employee Welfare Plan: If the employer has an established vacation policy for all employees, then it might be an “employee welfare benefit plan” that is covered under ERISA. That means it might be illegal to retaliate against you for exercising your right to take your vacation benefit. 

Union contract: If your union’s collective bargaining agreement provides for your vacation benefits, you might be able to grieve any termination that violates your union contract. 

Discrimination: The company can’t discriminate based on race, age, sex, religion, color, national origin, disability, genetic information, or age in granting and denying vacations. Some states have other protected categories such as sexual orientation, marital status, and domestic violence victims. They can favor your boss’s vacation over yours though. If the boss’s vacation conflicts with yours, even if yours was preapproved, they can renege on the approval. 

State law: Some states provide other protections. When in doubt, talk to a lawyer in your state about your rights.

Other than these limited rights, you can absolutely be fired for taking your vacation or to prevent you from getting a paid vacation. Here’s some more information you need to know about your rights while taking vacation: 

Wrongdoing discovered: If your employer discovers wrongdoing or even poor performance while you’re on vacation, even if you have a protected right to take it, they can fire you for the wrongdoing they discover. That means if you embezzled and they find out because someone covered for you while you were out, or if you didn’t do a key assignment before you left, then you might not have a job to come back to. 

Layoff: Even if you have protected vacation rights, if there is a genuine layoff at your company, they can probably include you in the layoff. 

Pay after termination: If your employer has a “use it or lose it” vacation policy (some states prohibit “use it or lose it” vacation policies), you probably have no right to be paid for your vacation when you’re fired. However, if your employer lets people accrue their benefits and get paid out when they leave, you are probably entitled to be paid your vacation time when you leave. It’s an earned benefit. 

Last minute demand to cancel: Sometimes the boss will demand you cancel your plans at the last minute. Maybe an emergency comes up, or she just decides she can’t live without you. If you refuse and take your vacation anyhow, you can be fired for insubordination or job abandonment.

Should it be legal to fire you for taking your earned vacation? No. But it probably is. The United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn’t have a law requiring paid vacation. One in four Americans receives no paid vacation.

So take that trip to Europe or your dream cruise. Enjoy! You may have more free time than you expected when you get back.