On June 18 the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in the case of Gross v. FBL Financial Services, an age discrimination case arising out of Iowa. We first reported on the Gross case when the Court heard arguments a couple of months ago. Since the decision was issued, many commentators have opined
Does Your Company Wellness Plan Discriminate?
A recent study of Iowa employers revealed that 51 percent offered some type of health screening to their employees. Many companies also offer other "wellness" benefits to encourage employees to exercise and adopt healthy lifestyles. The wellness program of a prominent Des Moines employer was recently profiled in the Des Moines Register (link here
Proceed with Caution When Considering Employee Furloughs
Many businesses in Iowa and elsewhere continue to experience slack demand, lower revenue, and low to non-existent profits. Economic indicators in Iowa continue to sink. As a means of trimming payroll expenses while avoiding long term or permanent lay-offs of employees, many employers are looking to voluntary or even mandatory unpaid furloughs.
Employers should be cautious