Exam 33: Employment and Labor Law

Certain employers must provide their employees with up to twelve weeks of family or medical leave during any twelve-month period.

No employee has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the workplace.

Carla, a waitress at Diners Coffee Shop, notices that the kitchen staff is not wearing protective gloves while preparing food, a violation of state law. Carla reports this to Esau, her manager, but no steps are taken. Carla then tells Free Press, a local newspaper. Free Press runs a story on the violations. Business at Diners drops 65 percent. Can Diners fire Carla for these actions?

Borealis Power Company is subject to mandatory workers' compensation laws in the states in which it does business. Chad and Dex work for Borealis as part of a crew that travels to remote locations to repair downed power lines and other damaged equipment. At a distant site, Chad is in?jured in an accident that is entirely Dex's fault. Chad files a claim for workers' compensation. Should the claim be granted? What would be Borealis's best defense against it?

Elin works for Form Molding Company. Near her workstation is a conveyor belt that runs through a large industrial oven. Some workers, including Greg, Elin's supervisor, use the oven to heat food. Thirty-inch-high flasks containing molds are fixed at regular intervals on the con?veyor and transported into the oven. Elin walks between the flasks to get to her workstation. One day, when the conveyor is not moving, Elin uses the oven to cook a frozen potpie. As she removes the pie from the oven, the conveyor comes on. One of the flasks strikes Elin, seriously injuring her. Elin seeks recovery under the state workers' compensation law. Should she recover? Why or why not?

Industrial Solvents, Inc., and its employees are subject to federal labor law, which is concerned with the rights of

Hi-Tech Assembly Corporation employs seven thousand work?ers in three states. A third of the employees are members of the International Telecommunications Workers Union. Under federal labor law, the union can

Machine Operations, Inc. (MO), employs four hundred workers at three locations in three states. Workers who do not have a right to continue group health benefits provided by MO for a limited time after the loss of their jobs include those who

An oral promise that an employer makes to employees regarding discharge policy may be considered part of an implied contract.

Employee contributions to pension plans vest immediately.

An employer may hire an illegal immigrant if the employer files a special form.

Cafe Dining, Inc., employs one hundred workers at three loca?tions in two states. Under federal law, Café must pro?vide its employees, during any twelve-month period, family or medi?cal leave of up to

Chewy works for Deep Excavation Corporation (DEC). While operating a backhoe, Chewy suffers an injury. He will be compen?sated under state workers' compensation laws only if

Non-workers do not have a right to picket an employer during a strike.

Consolidated Waste, Inc., lays off fifty of its five hundred workers, including Don. Consolidated can eliminate Don's medical insurance coverage

Hoppy, who works as an employee for Imperial Power Corporation, suf?fers an injury in an accident. Hoppy will be compen?sated under state work?ers' compensation laws

Fruits & Vegetables, Inc., employs hundreds of seasonal and permanent workers, both skilled and unskilled, in seven states. Under the Immigration Act of 1990, Fruits & Vegetables can hire illegal immigrants

Over a forty-year period, Ewa worked in a variety of jobs. She was also occasionally unemployed, briefly hospitalized, and suffered a temporary disability. She retired last year. The key law on all of these sub?jects is

Under federal law, only key employees who take temporary family or medical leave are entitled to job reinstatement.

An employee can continue the health benefits provided by his or her employer for a period of time only on an involuntary loss of employment.