To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate…

James R. Becker, Jr.

June 24, 2021
It's not really a question. Most people have gotten vaccinated against COVID-19, but a significant number still have not.  Now a new question is looming for both employers and employees about mandatory vaccinations.  However, as an employment lawyer, my opinion is that this is not really much...

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The Impact of Coronavirus on the Workplace

James R. Becker, Jr.

March 12, 2020
During this time with the widespread coronavirus outbreaks, employers need to spend some time thinking about how to address the issues that will invariably occur. First, employers must deal with their employees.  Obviously, medical experts and common sense require keeping the employee out of the workplace.  However, that...

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New Overtime Regulations Impact the Memphis Area

James R. Becker and JoAnna N. Becker

January 6, 2020
Ronald Regan once said that the nine most terrifying words in the English language are “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”  In March of 2019, the Trump administration announced a rewrite of the federal regulations concerning overtime, this proposal was sent...

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The Perils of Workplace Relationships

James R. Becker, Jr.

November 4, 2019
McDonald's recently announced the termination of its CEO, Steve Easterbrook.  This move highlights one of the real difficulties that both companies and individual employees face today. By most accounts, Mr. Easterbrook, was doing a good job for McDonald's.  Sales were doing well, McDonald's was being...

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Ending the Cycle of Abuse

James R. Becker and JoAnna N. Becker

September 16, 2019
“You’re stupid!” “You’re lazy!” “Why do you make me hit you?” Some are more obvious than others, but these are all common things said in abusive relationships. According the domestic violence statics of 2018 in the United States a woman...

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Why Should I Mediate?

James R. Becker, Jr.

August 20, 2019
We often get asked/told some variation of why should our client mediate or mediation is a waste of time.  While we completely understand this sentiment, it is also completely wrong.  Over the past week we have had a couple of cases move towards conclusion along very different...

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The Importance of Doing Right

James R. Becker, Jr.

April 10, 2019
Particularly in our divorce and family law practice, we often get the question from our client of why does the client have to do that.  This may come in the form of not wanting to give the other parent visitation time, not wanting to answer discovery or not wanting...

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Prestigious Academic Institutions Don’t Help Employment

James R. Becker, Jr.

March 18, 2019
In the wake of the college admissions bribe scandal, many parents are questioning whether there is anything they can do to help their kids with their future after school.  The apparent answer is that the money the wealthy and privileged spent on bribing college admissions officials was wasted. ...

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Dating During Divorce

James R. Becker, Jr.

February 28, 2019
One of the questions we don't get asked anywhere near often enough is whether our divorcing clients can date during a divorce.  I suspect that is because the answer is shockingly simple - NO!  Yes, I did intend to use "shouty caps" and an exclamation point on...

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Privacy in the Workplace

James R. Becker, Jr.

February 9, 2019
One question I get asked by both employers and employees is who can have access to what an employee does on his or her work computer.  The answer in Tennessee is really very simple and often surprises many employees.  If the information is on the employer’s...

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A New Standard for Overtime Exemption?

James R. Becker, Jr.

January 8, 2019
As a young lawyer, one phrase really stuck out for me, "this is a remedial statute and should be construed liberally in favor of the employee."  It's almost as catchy as its sister phrase, "exemptions are to be construed narrowly and against the employer."  Taken together, these...

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Workplace Dating - Not for the Faint of Heart

James R. Becker, Jr.

February 7, 2018
I was born in 1969 and I freely admit that I have done my fair share of grousing about millenials.  However, when it comes to dating or social interactions in the workplace, the world was much more simple when I was first venturing into it than it is today. Sexual...

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What does it take to be successful at work?

James R. Becker, Jr.

December 27, 2017
I was recently reading an article by Brandon Steiner, a well-known author and speaker on success, and he had 10 skills people need to cultivate for success in the workplace.  I love lists like this because they are relatively easy to digest and understand and they contain a lot...

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Why did you hire a lawyer?

James R. Becker, Jr.

December 18, 2017
There are a lot of reasons why a person becomes a lawyer.  However, at its most base level, every good lawyer became a lawyer for the same reason - to help people.  However, no matter how good or skilled or clever the lawyer, ultimately the only thing that...

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Long Distance Parenting

Misty D. Becker

September 29, 2017
Long-Distance Parenting After a divorce, parenting can become challenging, especially after one parent finds it necessary to move. Whether it is across the state or across the country, this transition can be hard on the parent-child relationship and shouldn’t be entered into lightly. Because parenting time is now...

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Parental Relocation Statute in Tennessee

Misty D. Becker

August 14, 2017
One of the things that often frustrates me when dealing with a family law issue is the huge disparity between the clear language of a statute and the judicial interpretation of it.  One of the clearest examples of this was in the parental relocation statute, often called the move...

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Over the River and Through the Woods, to Grandmother’s House We Go?

Ashley E. Geno

December 17, 2014
"Over the river and through the woods, to grandmother's house we go... ."  It's a song that evokes memories of my childhood spent travelling through snow to get to my grandparent's house for Christmas celebrations.  However, what happens when one parent is out of the picture...

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Why Personal Responsibility is Important

James Becker

October 17, 2014
On September 13th, Adrian Peterson, running back for the Minnesota Vikings, was charged with reckless or negligent injury to a child.  As a result of this charge, he was required to submit to a urinalysis to screen for illegal drugs.  He has good attorneys, he gets good advice,...

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Changes in Family Law as a Precursor to Employment Law Shifts?

James Becker

October 13, 2014
With much of the issue of social equality in terms of marriage moving towards its rearview mirror, the LGBT movement (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender project) is now pushing for equal employment rights.  Maybe because of what I do, but I thought this would come up as a significant issue...

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Labelling’s Dangerous Effects

Kelsey Walton and James Becker

September 29, 2014
In the aftermath of the recent bombin in Boston, our country saw an unparalleled manhunt which shut down a metropolis for an entire day. The Boston police along with state and national services eventually found the bombing suspect after a chase that involved heavy gun fire and the suspects hurling...

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Child Abuse or Legitimate Punishment?

Misty Becker

September 29, 2014
When it comes to getting a divorce with children it can easily get very messy and complicated.  While no one wants this to happen, each side must balance their emotions as an individual and what how they view the opposing party.  This gets even more complicated when you...

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NLRB Continues to Expand Employee Protection

James Becker

September 26, 2014
In a recent decision, the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") has continued its trend of significantly expanding employee workplace protections in the area of social media.  In Three D, LLC d/b/a Triple Play Sports Bar, the NLRB ordered an employer to reinstate and pay back wages...

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