Loaded Questions: Are Noncompetition and Nonsolicitation Clauses Really Enforceable in Michigan?

As an employment lawyer, there are a number of questions I frequently hear from clients and colleagues. One of the most common ones is, “I thought noncompetes weren’t really enforceable. Is that true?” This question takes many forms. For example: Employer Client: “I don’t want to prevent someone from working, so I just have my …

CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) PRECAUTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS

It is now impossible to avoid the reality that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, the “coronavirus”), is a “public health emergency of international concern,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”).[i] As of publication, the coronavirus is not spreading in the community in the United States.[ii] The CDC reports that the immediate …

Accommodating an Anxious Workforce

The American population, and thus the American workforce, is becoming increasingly subject to anxiety and depression disorders. Employers must find ways to retain and motivate employees with such diagnoses in order to maintain a competitive advantage and to avoid legal liability. Nobody knows precisely how many U.S. employees suffer from anxiety and depression, but they …

Michigan Repeals Prevailing Wage Act

On June 6, 2018, the Michigan Legislature repealed the state’s Prevailing Wage Act through the Michigan Repeal Prevailing Wages and Fringe Benefits on State Projects Initiative (the “Initiative”). Michigan’s Prevailing Wage Act required project owners to pay workers union-scale wages and benefits for state-funded construction projects. The repeal took effect on June 6, but it …