U.S. News Media Group and Best Lawyers® have released the 2011-2012 “Best Law Firms” rankings, and once again Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen, P.C. is well represented in the rankings for the Des Moines metropolitan area, having received Tier 1 rankings in 19 areas of law.

On Thursday, August 25, 2011, the National Labor Relations Board issued an advance copy of a final rule that will require virtually all employers subject to the National Labor Relations Act to post a notice in the workplace about workers’ rights under the NLRA.

Religion is a protected class under Iowa and federal employment laws and cannot be used as a basis for forming employment decisions unless the employer is a religious institution and the qualifications are related to a bona fide religious purpose.

Missouri has just passed a law prohibiting certain online communications between teachers and students. The Amy Hestir Student Protection Action aims to protect students from sexual abuse, but controvery surrounds a provision in the law reaching student and teacher social media usage and online activity.

Iowa’s new law on permits for carrying concealed weapons – S.F. 2379 of the 2010 legislative session – goes into effect on January 1, 2011. What does this mean for Iowa employers?