‘Can My Boss Do That?’

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/03/05/can-my-boss-do-that/

by James Parks, Mar 5, 2009

Anne Janks, a workers’ rights activist, is on the front lines of the economic crisis. She hears every day from people like Joe Buczek, who told her that when he recently lost his job at a gourmet grocery in Tampa, Fla., his boss told him to take his final pay in food and wine, rather than wait for his final paycheck. Not knowing where to turn for advice, Buczek called his friend Janks, who told him what his boss was doing is illegal. She directed Buczek to a legal form letter he could send to his boss demanding his rightful pay.



Not every unemployed worker has a friend like Janks, but now they can all take advantage of her work and advice. Today, Interfaith Worker Justice (IWJ) launched a new website, www.CanMyBossDoThat.com, which Janks designed. The site helps jobless workers understand their rights and protections and stand up for themselves.

Janks says the site offers state-by-state information geared to help workers in real life situations. The current system of unemployment benefits is a hodge-podge of eligibility requirements, rules and rights. Until this site was created, she said, no one-stop place existed for workers to find all this information for every state.

In a telephone press conference to launch the site, Buczek said he had no clue as to how to apply for unemployment insurance, did not know his rights to a final paycheck and was unaware he had any protections. He is not alone. More than 3.6 million workers lost their jobs between December 2007 and January 2009. The February unemployment data, due out tomorrow, will show an even worse jobless rate. Many of these workers may be improperly denied their last paycheck, money due when their plant closes, or told by their employer that they are not eligible to collect unemployment benefits.

FULL story at link.

[Sherman A1]

1. K&R

Thanks Steve. That is a good link to bookmark.

[dalaigh lllama]

2. Thanks for the info

I know some people who can use this information right about now, sadly.

[intheflow]

3. Hurray, IWJ!

I did an internship with them a few years back. They do great work and I'm glad to see this web site looking like more goodness from them.

K&R