Ashlea Edwards

Ashlea Edwards focuses her practice on employment litigation and counseling. She represents employers in a variety of matters, including harassment, discrimination, whistleblowing, employee leave and reasonable accommodations, wrongful termination, retaliation, and wage and hour violations. Her practice also focuses on defending clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the U.S. Department of Labor, and other administrative agencies. As part of her counseling practice, Ashlea provides a range of support to clients, including corporate governance counseling and investigations, policy interpretation and implementation, and reviewing and drafting of employment handbooks along with employment related agreements.

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Jingle All the Way to the SEC: Employers (Even Privately Held) Under Scrutiny for Language in Separation Agreements Impeding SEC Whistleblower Rule 21F-17

By Ashlea Edwards, Sarah M. DeFranco and Melissa S. Zinkil on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment & Consulting Contracts, Whistleblower & Retaliation Claims
While jingle bells have only just begun to ring, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) enforcement bells have been ringing steadily throughout year. In recent months, the SEC announced significant settlements with employers for violations of Rule 21F-17 — the SEC’s whistleblower protection rule — as a result of language in non-disclosure agreements, separation … Continue Reading

Baby on the Way!… And So Are Accommodations for Pregnant Workers

By Ashlea Edwards on Posted in Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation, Employment Investigations & Audits, Medical & Other Leaves
Pregnant workers seeking workplace accommodations can expect a less bumpy ride ahead, due to the delivery of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). The PWFA protects employees and applicants who have known limitations relating to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition by requiring employers to provide them reasonable accommodations, absent an undue hardship on … Continue Reading

Pay Transparency Law Updates: Hiring in 2023

By Ashlea Edwards on Posted in Employee Benefits, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Wage & Hour
Recent legislative action across the country suggests that expanding pay transparency requirements will continue to be a major issue for employers to navigate in 2023. Three states—Illinois, Rhode Island, and Washington—recently joined the pay transparency movement by issuing regulations or enacting laws that require some form of pay disclosure to job applicants to promote pay … Continue Reading

LGBTQ+: What’s the Fuss?

By Ashlea Edwards and Debra M. Leder on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation, Employment Litigation
The Respect for Marriage Act is now law, upholding recognition of interracial and same-sex marriages, and the U.S. Supreme Court has held that sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination in the workplace is illegal, but what rights do LGBTQ+ employees have in the workplace and how inclusive must employers be? The EEOC’s attempt to provide … Continue Reading

Dealing with the Monkeypox Virus at Work

By Ashlea Edwards on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation, Employment Litigation, Workplace Safety & OSHA
Just as employers have figured out how to navigate the COVID-19 virus, the next one is poised to take hold – the monkeypox virus. Now declared a global and national public health emergency by the World Health Organization and the U.S., the monkeypox virus continues to spread with almost 10,000 cases in the U.S. and … Continue Reading

Keep Cool: OSHA Targeting Heat-Related Injuries in the Workplace

By Ashlea Edwards on Posted in Workplace Safety & OSHA
Last year was the deadliest weather year in a decade for the contiguous United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and climatologists predict that 2022 will be the hottest year on record. Employers should pay particular attention as we head into summer. With heat already being the leading cause of death among … Continue Reading

Handling Requests for Religious Exemptions from Mandatory Vaccination Policies

By Ashlea Edwards and Akerman Law on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Employment Investigations & Audits, Employment Litigation, Medical & Other Leaves
Employers implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccine policies are facing an avalanche of requests for exemptions as religious accommodations, far more than for medical exemptions. Fortunately, while employers are generally obligated to explore accommodations for requests based on a sincerely held religious belief, they are not necessarily obligated to grant exemptions.… Continue Reading

Considering Incentives for Employee COVID-19 Vaccines – Tips and Traps

By Ashlea Edwards, Beth Alcalde and Akerman Law on Posted in Employee Benefits, Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, Workplace Safety & OSHA
This blog was based on guidance which is now outdated. An employer may offer an incentive to employees to voluntarily provide documentation or other confirmation that they received a vaccination on their own from a pharmacy, public health department, or other health care provider in the community, according to new guidance issued by the EEOC … Continue Reading

Employers May Compel COVID-19 Vaccinations, But…

By Ashlea Edwards on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment & Consulting Contracts, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation, Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, Workplace Safety & OSHA
Employers may require employees in the workplace to get a COVID-19 vaccine, according to newly issued guidelines from the EEOC. But employers may not necessarily terminate an employee who refuses. While the vaccine may still be months away for most Americans, employers should prepare now for the issues that will arise, including those relating to … Continue Reading

DOL Issues Regulations on Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded FMLA Leave

By Ashlea Edwards, Melissa S. Zinkil and Akerman Law on Posted in Labor Relations, Medical & Other Leaves, Wage & Hour
Demonstrating that guidance on the newly mandated Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical Leave is fluid, on April 6, 2020, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) published new regulations as a “temporary rule” expanding on and tinkering with its prior guidance under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The new … Continue Reading
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