Instructor Contact Information
Catherine Lundy
lundy@msu.edu
517/353-4464 office
517/355-7656 Fax
415 S. Kedzie Hall
East Lansing, Mi 48840
This on-line class is designed for working Registered Nurses who want to learn about health care industry labor and employment laws. While developing this expertise, nurses will have the opportunity to interact on-line with other RNs through discussion groups and gain practical application of course objectives. Emphasis will be placed upon nurse working conditions and how law can be applied, where possible, to help them gain control of their environment.
Upon Course completion, students will be able to:
1. Formulate a working knowledge of the legal requirements on employers and labor organizations in the Health Care Industry
2. Discuss labor and employment law practice in labor and industrial relations.
3. Distinguish relevant policy issues in labor and employment law.
4. Gain understanding of the current working conditions that effect nursing practice.
The class has a total of 14 weekly sessions. Each week's class lessons will become available on line at Tuesday 12:10am through Monday at 11:50pm.
Students will be expected to complete each week's assignment within this time period.
Grading
· Discussion Forums (5) - 50%
· Mid-Term Exercise - 25%
· Final Exam - 25%
Each participant will be expected to enter into the discussion cases during the week the topics are on-line.
While I will be tracking to see if you are participating, I am more concerned about the content of interaction not the amount of interaction. I view this as a great opportunity for all of you to share ideas and get acquainted with your fellow participants.
You will receive 50% of your grade for group discussion participation. Each discussion group is worth 10 points.
Each discussion group will be evaluated upon the following criteria.
10 Points System
3 points for referring to course readings
3 points for assimilation of the material
2 points for curiosity
2 points for clarity
Grading Scale
4.0 95 to 100 %
3.5 90 to 94%
3.0 80 to 89%
2.5 70 to 79%
2.0 60 to 69%
1.5 50 to 59%
1.0 40 to 49%
0 under 39%
Textbook
Michael Evan Gold,An Introduction to Labor Law, ILR Press-Cornell University Press, Ithaca, 1998.
Suzanne Gordon, Nursing Against The Odds, ILR Press/Cornell Press, Ithaca, 2005
(While this book is not directly related to the Labor Law/Employment Law topic, it does relate directlyto nurses and their conditions of employment.
The author, one of the foremost authorities in the field, examines why so many RNs are dropping out of nursing.
Sessions and Dates |
Topics |
Readings and Assignments |
ORIENTATION |
Virtual University Design & Technology |
|
Session 1 |
LABOR REGULATION |
Gold, Chapter 1, |
Session 2 |
NLRB AND EMPLOYEE CHOICE |
Gold, Chapter 2 and 3 |
Session 3 |
THE ORGANIZING PROCESS |
Gold, Chapter 4 |
Session 4 |
STRIKES AND OTHER PRESSURE TACTICS |
Gold, Chapter 5 and 6 |
Session 5 |
LABOR LAW AND NURSING |
Assigned Readings |
Session 6 |
FEDERAL AND STATE NURSING LEGISLATION, |
Assigned Readings |
Session 7 |
MID-TERM EXERCISE EXAM |
On-line assignment |
SPRING BREAK WEEK |
No Class |
|
Session 8 |
UNIONS AND EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY |
|
Session 9 |
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT |
Assigned Readings |
Session 10 |
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT |
Assigned Readings |
Session 11 |
SEXUAL HARASSMENT |
Assigned Readings |
Session 12 |
FLSA AND MANDATORY OVERTIME |
Assigned Readings |
Session |
Final |
|
Grades Due |
Abraham, Steven, Adrienne Eaton and Paula Voos, Supreme Court Supervisory Status Decisions: The Impact On Union Organizing Of Nurses Under The NLRA, AFL-CIO Michigan State University Workers Rights Conference, East Lansing, Michigan, October 11-12, 2002, unpublished paper.
Bilchik, Gloria Shur, "Norma Rae, R.N.", Trustee, Mar. 2001, Vol.54, Iss.2, pp 11- 15.
Clark, Margaret M., "NLRB General Council's Office Issues Liberal Criteria for Defining 'Supervisor, HR Magazine, Feb 2004, Vol. 49, Iss.2, Pgs: 30-31.
Evans, Mary and Tonia Aiken, "Making the Transition from Student to Professional, Nursing Law and Liability, pp. 173-206.
Feldacker, Bruce, Labor Guide to Labor Law, Fourth Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hill, 2000.
Gold, Michael Evan, An Introduction to Labor Law, Ithaca, N.Y., ILP Press, 1998.
Guerin, Lisa and Amy Delpo, Everyday Employment Law: The Basics, Berkley, CA: Nolo, 2002.
Hardin, Patrick, The Developing Labor Law, 3rd. Edition, Vol 1, Bureau of National Affairs, Washington D.C. 1992.
Hesse, Katherine and Doris MacKenzie Ehrens, "Labor Law: Supervisory Status Under the NLRB", Benefits Quarterly, Second Quarter 2003, Vol. 19, Iss. 2, pp 106-
Meyer, Brenda G., Kalniz, Iorio & Feldstein Co., LPA, Sexual Harassment Claims, Employment Law for Trade Unionist Conference Presentation, Michigan State University, Kellogg Center, April 13, 1998
Norton, Mary Katherine, Sachs, Waldman, O'Hare, Helvestion, Bogas& McIntosh, P.C., Detroit Sexual Harassment Claims, Employment Law for Trade Unionists Presentation, Kellogg Center, East Lansing, Michigan, April 13, 1998.
Palthe, Jennifer and Satish P. Deshpande, "Union Certification Elections In Nursing Care Facilities", The Health Care Manager, Colorado: Aspen Publishers, 2003.from the World Wide Web, Http//web1.infotac.galegroup.com/itw/infomark/289/104/48150867w1/purl=rcl_ITOF_0.
Pozgar, George D. and Nina Santucci Pozgar, Legal Aspects of Health Care Administration, Gaithersburg, Md: Aspen Publishers, 1999
Repa, Barbara Kate, Your Rights In The Workplace, Berkley, CA: Nolo, 2002.
Stern, Julia C, Administrative Law Judge, State of Michigan Bureau of Employment Relations, The Duty to Bargain Under The Public Employment Relations Act "The Basics", unpublished paper, May, 2002.
Wolkinson, Benjamin W. and Richard N. Block, Employment Law: The Workplace Rights of Employees and Employers, Cambridge, Mass; Blackwell, 1996.
State Labor Laws
http://www.dol.gov/esa/programs/whd/state/state.htm
Home Health Care Industry Under FLSA
>http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/whd/printpage.asp?REF=whdfs25.htm</a
Nursing Care Facility Under FMLA
http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/whd/printpage.asp?REF=whdfs31.htm
Fact Sheet HC Indus. On Hours Worked
http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/whd/whdfs53.pdf
Coalition of Labor Union Women
http://www.cluw.org/
UAW Labor Laws Page
http://www.uaw.org/cap/04/issues/issue09.cfm
UAW Fair Labor Standards Act
http://www.uaw.org/cap/04/issues/issue06.cfm
Article- The Silent War: Assault on American Workers
http://www.aflcio.org/aboutunions/joinunions/howjoin/upload/vatw_issuebrief.pdf
American Rights At Work
http://www.araw.org/workersrights/eyebackground.cfm
Human Rights Watch
http://www.hrw.org/reports/2000/uslabor/
Voice at Work
http://www.aflcio.org/aboutunions/voiceatwork/
British Columbia Nurses Association
http://www.workingtv.com/patientsbillofrights.html
Corporate Research
http://iir.berkeley.edu/library/blg/corprsch.html
AFSCME Facts at Your Fingertips
http://www.afscme.org/wrkplace/ftipstc.htm
Labor History
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Quad/6460/AmLabHist/index.html
Industrial Relations Research Association
http://www.irra.uiuc.edu/
Stopping the Clock
http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/healthcare/Stop_the_Clock.pdf
Model State Language Banning Mandatory Overtime
http://www.aft.org/topics/mandatory-overtime/downloads/ModelMOT.pdf
Empty Hallways: The Hidden Shortage of Health Care Workers
http://www.aft.org/pubs-reports/healthcare/Empty-Hallways.pdf