About To Complain To Management? Think Big Picture First.

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

Are you gearing up to give management an earful about all the wrongs they have been committing? Before you confront management, please give thought to the big picture. Especially if you are right, and you have proof you are right. Being right is not enough. Say your employer thinks the sky is green, and fires you because […]

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Interesting Article Re U.S. Chamber Of Commerce’s Strong Use Of Litigation (Despite Tort Reform View As To Individuals)

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

[The U.S. Chamber of Commerce] has its own multimillion dollar affiliate, the Institute for Legal Reform (ILR), whose sole mission is to restrict the ability of individuals harmed by negligent corporations to file suit. Yet ironically, the Chamber is also one of the most aggressive litigators in Washington, D.C., appearing in hundreds of lawsuits a […]

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Negotiate? Acme Co. Doesn’t Negotiate Our Non-Competes

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

A little story for those of you considering a new job where the employer is asking you to sign a non-compete agreement, and they are giving you the vibe their non-compete is a take-it-or-leave-it sort of deal… Once, several years ago, I was looking at apartments, and found one I liked. The landlord gave me […]

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Interesting Statistics About Lawsuits In WI And Elsewhere

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

Does Wisconsin and the U.S. generally need “tort reform?” Are too many (or an increasing number) of lawsuits being filed, with too many plaintiffs receiving large awards, and too many businesses suffering due to law suits by individuals? As a plaintiff’s employment attorney, I have shared my own observations and biases in trying to answer […]

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15th Annual Spelling Bee For Fox Valley Literacy Coalition: Hats Off To Winner Lawrence; PBC Team Takes 3rd Place

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

The results are in for the 15th Annual Fox Valley Spelling Bee on Thursday, October 14, 2010, proceeds for which benefited the Fox Valley Literacy Coalition and adult literacy services. Congratulations to Lawrence University’s spellers, who took first place amongst 13 teams, and to runner-up ThedaCare. Peterson, Berk and Cross’s team (Michael Brown, Meghan Hanley, Amy Risseeuw and Heidi […]

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Polite Hearings, And The Distinction Between The Person And His Conduct

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

Not long ago I was at an unemployment hearing. It was the same old drill in most respects. Two parties opposed each other. A boss had fired an employee. The boss’s testimony opposed the employee’s testimony, and vice versa. Neither side changed any beliefs when the hearing was over. But after the hearing, a great […]

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PBC Will Sponsor A Team (You Can Too!) For 15th Annual Fox Valley Spelling Bee On Thurs., Oct. 14

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

Peterson, Berk and Cross will sponsor a team of four spellers, for the 15th Annual Fox Valley Spelling Bee on Thursday, October 14, 2010. The event starts at 5:30pm, at the Appleton Holiday Inn. The Bee benefits local adult literacy services of the Fox Valley Literacy Coalition. News anchor Bill Jartz is the MC. More details are […]

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My H-1B Employer Is Asking Me To Take A Vacation… Last Year

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

Given the poor shape of the U.S. economy, fraudulent H-1B employers are likely to adopt new tricks, or to increase the use of old ones, with benched H-1B workers. If you have been benched, your employer may approach you and ask you to sign a document that falsely states that you took voluntary leave (e.g. vacation leave, […]

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Wisconsin Law Now Prohibits Two More Types Of Discrimination, Based On Political And Religious Communications

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

The Wisconsin Legislature has added two forms of prohibited discrimination to Wisconsin employment law, which concern religious and political communications. Now, a Wisconsin employer must not discriminate against an employee for: declining to attend a meeting about religious matters declining to participate in any communication about religious matters declining to attend a meeting about political […]

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