Part of standing up for yourself is educating yourself. The Fiedler Law blog goes in-depth on issues from within our practice areas, from our team. Take time to read about topics that may affect you or issues you are dealing with.
One of the foundations of our justice system is that no one is above the law. Each of us is held responsible for our own actions. If I get distracted while I’m driving and rear-end the car in front of me, I have to pay for the damage. If I hurt somebody, either negligently or on purpose, I’m liable to…
This is a difficult time, even without anxiety over whether you will be able to pay your bills. Many people believe that you have to be, well, unemployed in order to qualify for Unemployment Insurance in Iowa. Fortunately, that is not the case. Due to the threat of COVID-19, on March 17, Governor Reynolds issued a State of Public Health…
I’m an older person who is highly qualified and looking to change jobs, but for some reason, businesses don’t seem interested in me. I’m starting to think it’s my age. What should I do? Unfortunately, you are not alone. Starting a new job or new career later in life is daunting enough without the prospect of being treated differently because…
I’m expecting my first child in July, and one of the most common questions people ask me is how much maternity leave I am taking. Luckily, our firm has great maternity and paternity leave policies, and I’ll be able to bring my son to work with me! But this question does highlight that many companies are not as family-friendly and…
I’m being bullied at work and I think my job has become a hostile work environment. People aren’t treating me with respect and it’s affecting my work. Can you help? We see a lot of complaints about a “hostile work environment.” This makes sense—many workplaces can feel hostile. However, whether you have a harassment claim often depends on (1) why…
Cancer. The word alone evokes strong emotions. A cancer diagnosis affects everyone differently. Many people wonder how they will manage treatment and work. They ask themselves: What do I tell my boss? Should I take time off work for treatment? How will I pay my bills? Importantly, cancer can be considered a disability, meaning an employee who tells his or…
A Helpful List of Many Employment Law-Related Words and their Meanings At-Will State: When an employee can be dismissed by an employer for any reason (that is, without having to establish “just cause” for termination), and without warning, as long as the reason is not illegal (e.g. firing because of the employee’s protect class). Right to Work State: A Right…
On Wednesday afternoon, a Polk County jury returned a $2,000,000 verdict in favor of former Iowa State Penitentiary Corrections Officer, Kristine Sink. After a decade-long battle of standing up to various civil rights abuses at the penitentiary, the jury found that the State of Iowa and the Iowa Department of Corrections illegally retaliated against Kristine and failed to accommodate her…
On February 23, 2018, Paige Fiedler and Emily McCarty filed a lawsuit on behalf of Patricia Carrillo against the State of Iowa, the Iowa Department of Transportation, and two DOT executives. KCCI reported the following details from the lawsuit: The 49-year-old was seeking a license when she was paired with John Alexander for the test at the Ankeny DOT station…
On January 18, 2018, Fiedler Law Firm PLC client Amy Ford settled her claims of sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation against the City of Anamosa Police Department and Police Chief Robert Simonson. News of the public settlement has raised questions about accountability and how to prevent something like this from happening again. At the February 12, 2018, City Council…