Rukayat Salaam

Rukayat Salaam focuses her practice on labor and employment matters. She also has experience handling complex litigation, intellectual property, and real estate disputes.

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California, The Gift That Keeps On Giving: An Overview of Recently Enacted Laws That Impact California Employers

By Rukayat Salaam, Mishell Parreno Taylor and Emily Patajo on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention
With 2023 coming to an end, now is the optimal time for employers to update their employee handbooks, policies, and procedures applicable to California workforces for the upcoming year. Here’s a roundup of several recently enacted California laws, with the majority set to take effect January 1, 2024.… Continue Reading

Pay Equity Audits For The Pay Transparency Era

By Rukayat Salaam on Posted in Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation, Employment Investigations & Audits
In recent years, workplace pay equity has become a priority for many states and cities, as seen by the growing number of pay transparency laws being implemented across the country. In turn, pay equity has become a critical priority for employers. With that, companies are left wondering what steps they need to take to ensure … Continue Reading

What’s in Store for the Next Four Years? – Part Two: The EEOC’s Strategic Enforcement Plan

By Rukayat Salaam on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC or Commission) recently published its substantive agency enforcement priorities to combat employment discrimination and promote inclusive workspaces over the next four years. The EEOC periodically adopts a multi-year plan to guide fulfillment of its mission to prevent and remedy unlawful discrimination in employment. We discussed the EEOC’s overall … Continue Reading

New Pay Transparency Laws Change Job Postings From Coast to Coast

By Rukayat Salaam and M. Adil Yaqoob on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Social Media, Wage & Hour
A growing number of cities and states are pushing for greater pay transparency in the hiring process. To add to that growing list, California and New York have both passed pay transparency laws in recent months, leaving employers to modify how they seek out new talent. However, employers should keep in mind that not all … Continue Reading

With U.S. Troops Heading to Europe, Employers Should Revisit Military Leave Policies

By Rukayat Salaam on Posted in Employee Benefits, Employee Handbooks & Policies, Medical & Other Leaves
In the wake of the recent Ukraine invasion, more U.S. troops are being deployed to Europe to support NATO countries. Among these are members of the National Reserve and National Guard, who typically maintain civilian jobs throughout the year, but can be called for duty at any time. With that in mind, now is a … Continue Reading

DOL’s Final Rule on Tipped Employees Takes Effect December 28th

By Rukayat Salaam on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Wage & Hour
Beginning December 28, 2021, employers must pay tipped employees the full minimum wage for periods when non tip-producing work is performed for a substantial amount of time, in light of a new Department of Labor (DOL) Final Rule taking effect that date. To comply with the rule, employers should revisit their current policies regarding how … Continue Reading

What the CDC’s New Guidance on Fully Vaccinated Individuals Means for Employers

By Rukayat Salaam on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation, Workplace Safety & OSHA
With the CDC’s May 13 announcement lifting the mask mandate for fully vaccinated individuals in most non-healthcare settings, many Americans are excited at the thought of a return to normalcy. However, employers should consider these questions before lifting their own mask requirements for workers who are fully vaccinated.… Continue Reading

What Employers Should Do Based on the Revisions to the EEOC’s Compliance Manual Section on Religious Discrimination

By Rukayat Salaam on Posted in Employee Handbooks & Policies, Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Employment Discrimination Harassment & Retaliation
Employers have new obligations and employees have new rights under the EEOC’s newly finalized revisions to the agency’s Compliance Manual Section on Religious Discrimination. The Compliance Manual does not have the force of law, but sets forth how the EEOC analyzes claims under the law, and provides useful guidance to employers. Although a large portion … Continue Reading

What California Employers Need to Know About The Emergency Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Regulations

By Melissa L. Cizmorris, Rukayat Salaam and Nancy Sotomayor on Posted in Employment Counseling & Workplace Claims Prevention, Workplace Safety & OSHA
Nearly all California employers must take steps now to comply with the requirements imposed by the new slate of emergency regulations intended to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in California workplaces. These regulations, adopted by CAL/OSHA on November 30, 2020 are immediately effective. Here is what employers need to know now to protect their businesses … Continue Reading
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