Category: News & Events
Scott Lepak to Present at Upcoming Minnesota CLE Conference
February 13, 2014 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.BGS Government & Employment Law Attorney Scott Lepak will be presenting at an upcoming Minnesota CLE Conference. The conference, titled Public Sector Labor & Employment Law will take place on Friday, February 28th at Minnesota CLE Conference Center, 600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 370, Third Floor City Center, Minneapolis. The event is scheduled to run from 8:30 a.m. (with a continental breakfast) to 4:30 p.m. There will be lunch break from Noon-1p.m. (lunch is not included with the seminar). Scott will speak to attendees at 9:45 a.m. regarding The Minnesota Whistleblower Act Amendments. He is co-presenting with attorney Cristina Parra of Nichols Kaster, PLLP; Minneapolis. For more information or to register for this event, please visit 2014 Public Sector Labor & Employment Law Seminar Details
Read MoreExpanded Heating Assistance Now Available in Minnesota
February 5, 2014 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.As many in our community are all too aware, the price of heating our homes is skyrocketing this winter. Our Real Estate Attorneys would like to share this important link with information regarding heating assistance to those in need. Governor Dayton Expands heating Assistance Program to Help More Minnesotans
Read MoreKillers and Con Artists Among Your Job Applicants? You Won’t Find Out Until You Decide to Interview Them In Minnesota.
November 6, 2013 | Scott M. LepakLooking for a good bookkeeper? Want to make sure Tom Petters and Bernie Madoff don’t apply? In Minnesota starting next year, the answer may be too bad for the employer. Effective January 1, 2014, employers in Minnesota may not inquire into, consider or require disclosure of the criminal record or criminal history of any applicant for employment until the applicant has been selected for an interview by the employer. In the event that the employer does not interview applicants, the employer may not require disclosure before a conditional offer of employment is made to the applicant. This “ban the box” legislation prohibits the common employment application form from including a question asking an individual to identify if they have ever been convicted of a crime, have a criminal record or history. Given this change to the law in Minnesota, employers should review current job application and remove this question. While this law represents an expansion of an existing state law that applies to public employers into private business, there remain differences between what private and public employers may find out about and consider. Interestingly, there is a section of the law that prohibits the State and political subdivisions from using, distributing or disseminating records of arrests not followed by a valid conviction, annulled…
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