For the first time in nearly a decade the federal minimum wage will increase Tuesday, July 24, 2007 from $5.15 per hour to $5.85.   The $0.70 increase is scheduled to continue each summer for the following two years and will stop at $7.25 per hour in 2009.

           

Attorney Ravinder S. Nagi, Chair of the Labor and Employment Practice Group at Tom Bolt & Associates P.C., noted that most Virgin Islands employers and employees are not affected by the increase this year, because since January 1, 2007 the Virgin Islands’ minimum wage was increased to $6.15 per hour- higher then the impending $5.85 federal minimum wage increase.  Continue Reading Federal Minimum Wage Increase Will Not Immediately Impact VI

Responding to remarks of Central Labor Council President Luis "Tito" Morales, St. Thomas attorney Tom Bolt called them "unfortunate and irresponsible".  Morales appearing on St. Thomas radio station WVWI’s "Morning News" stated that "Kazi Management should lose its EDC benefits due to the closure of the KFC restaurant at Buccaneer Mall on St. Thomas."

"Once again, Tito Morales has spoken before he has the facts," said Tom Bolt, the St. Thomas attorney that represents Kazi Foods of the Virgin Islands.  "Kazi Foods of the Virgin Islands does not have EDC benefits, has not applied for EDC benefits, and would not qualify if they did apply." Bolt noted.  Continue Reading St. Thomas Attorney Challenges Central Labor Council President

Juan Mujica, Vice President of Operations for Kazi Foods of the Virgin Islands, announced earlier today the closure of the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant located at Buccaneer Mall on St. Thomas. “The lease for this facility is due to expire in a few weeks,” Mujica explained, “and the rent on this particular restaurant is more than four times that of some of our other restaurants on St. Thomas. We attempted to negotiate with the landlord, but could not reach a mutually agreeable position.” Continue Reading Kazi Foods Closes Buccaneer Mall Restuarant

Tom Bolt & Associates,P.C. and its affiliated firm, Kilpatrick Stockton, LLP recently held sexual harassment training sponsored by the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce and the USVI Hotel & Tourism Association.  The training was mandated adopted by the Virgin Islands earlier this year.

St. Thomas attorney Ravinder Nagi who coordinated the traning sessions noted that the San Francisco Chronicle recently reported that workplace harassment training is paying off.  The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has also reported that the number of harassment claims has dropped by 20% since 1997.Continue Reading Sexual Harassment Training Pays Off

In April, Governor Charles W. Turnbull approved a law that affects every employer and employee in the Virgin Islands. While the Territory already has laws prohibiting discrimination, Act No. 6829 amends the Virgin Islands Civil Rights Act to require every employer in the territory to adopt a policy against sexual harassment in the workplace and provide