In recent years, there has been a growing shift in mindset for pet owners that consider animals to be essential to their well-being and integral to their home life. In fact, one ASPCA survey reported that, in the early stages of lockdowns and quarantines during the COVID-19 crisis, nearly 1 in 5 households acquired a … Continue Reading
Employers with tipped employees are constantly trying to keep up with the ever-changing and evolving tip credit rules promulgated by the United States Department of Labor (DOL) — specifically, what is known as the 80/20 rule. However, a recent federal appeals court has given the 80/20 rule the pink slip, and it may not be … Continue Reading
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is growing up very quickly, and the EEOC has been working fervently, through a combination of guidance and enforcement measures, to ensure it thrives. Specifically, just shy of the PWFA’s first birthday, the EEOC’s final rule and interpretive guidance has taken effect, amplifying employer obligations regarding pregnancy-related accommodations in … Continue Reading
Should an employee’s burden to plead and prove workplace discrimination differ depending upon whether they are considered in a “majority” or “minority” group? The U.S. Supreme Court is now set to decide whether an arguably “heightened” standard of proof should apply in such “reverse discrimination” cases. If the Supreme Court strikes down what has come … Continue Reading
Companies are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to assist with employment related tasks, such as recruiting and hiring. AI tools are useful to increase efficiency, streamline the recruiting process, and eliminate human bias. However, these tools can pose a risk of inadvertent discrimination against job applicants. We recently published an Employer’s Guide to Outsmarting … Continue Reading
A Federal Court has blocked the Federal Trade Commission’s Final Rule (the “Rule”) that was set to broadly ban nearly all forms of non-compete agreements. On August 20, 2024, Judge Ada Brown of the Northern District of Texas permanently enjoined the Rule, ordering that it “shall not be enforced or otherwise take effect” on its … Continue Reading
With less than three months to go until the general election, politics seem to be a hot topic for discussion these days! However, today’s political climate is more divisive than ever, and there are many reasons why you may not want these discussions in your workplace. You also may wonder if you can prohibit your … Continue Reading
With expanding legalization and commercialization—including several state initiatives in 2024 and perhaps even federal legislation—the chances are good that your California business has at least a few employees who consume recreational cannabis in their free time. A new California law, Assembly Bill 2188, shields these employees from consequences at work for using cannabis away from … Continue Reading
In the era of Tiktok influencers and Instagram models, almost everyone has an online side hustle, and that highly qualified referral you just interviewed or bright new hire you just made might just be one of them! The same digital world that created social media celebrities has also made it easier than ever for employers … Continue Reading
This January marked the 15th anniversary of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, providing a good moment for the federal government to propose new rules aimed at increasing gender pay equity in federal contracting and federal government employment. The new rules announced by the White House are expected to require covered government contractors … Continue Reading
Hospitals, urgent care clinics, doctors’ offices — these are the places we go when we are sick and want to get better. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers are the people who treat us, help us recover, and even save our lives in medical emergencies. Yet according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare … Continue Reading
The McDonnell Douglas burden-shifting framework used to evaluate employment discrimination claims may not be permanently cast aside, but a recent decision reminds us that it is not the only means through which employees can prove that unlawful discrimination occurred. Specifically, in Tynes v. Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently … Continue Reading
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
A scary surprise is fun to encounter when you are in a haunted house at a Halloween event, but not so much fun when you are performing a background check on a potential employee. Even worse is finding out after the fact that you failed to comply with one of the many legal requirements, and … Continue Reading
Courts have been dancing away from the two-step process for certification of collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and the 6th Circuit is the latest to join the trend. In a recent decision that could have significant impact on the future of FLSA collective actions, the 6th Circuit has borrowed a “strong … Continue Reading
Employers evaluating religious accommodations under Title VII are now required to strike a new balance due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent clarification of what constitutes an “undue hardship.” Employers should promptly reassess the factors they use to weigh the costs of providing religious accommodations in the workplace to avoid being caught off guard.… Continue Reading
Artificial Intelligence seems to be everywhere these days. As we wrote last month, generative AI tools are rapidly becoming a workplace temptation for employees seeking to streamline their job duties. Similarly, AI has taken on a role in recruiting and hiring at many companies, which has drawn scrutiny from the EEOC, as well as state … Continue Reading
Florida employers should prepare now to comply with a new law taking effect in July, aimed at ensuring that employers do not allow undocumented immigrants to work in their businesses. Senate Bill 1718 (SB 1718), which became law on May 10, 2023, is an expansive immigration bill enacted in response to the expiration of federal … Continue Reading
After more than three years, both the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have ended their classification of COVID-19 as a public/global health emergency. In conjunction with those announcements, President Biden likewise ended the COVID vaccine mandates that had been in effect for federal workers and contractors. … Continue Reading
Anyone who has been watching the news lately has probably noticed a recent uptick in stories about child labor. What is causing this increased attention? The Department of Labor’s (DOL) increased focus on child labor is probably a significant factor; the DOL has identified as one of its key efforts “hold[ing] all employers accountable” to … Continue Reading
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
Nursing mothers now have pumped up rights at work. Congress recently passed the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers (PUMP) Act which went into effect on December 29, 2022, and expands the employment protections previously afforded to nursing employees through the Break Time for Nursing Mothers Law (Break Time Law). Despite American Academy of … Continue Reading
Mass layoffs have been the topic of discussion in the technology industry over the last several months, with tens of thousands of employees laid off so far in 2023 alone. In many cases, the layoffs are tied to concerns related to the current economic environment, as companies exercise caution in reducing expenses in anticipation of … Continue Reading
Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights: New Jersey Enacts Trailblazing Protections New Jersey has recently trailblazed a path in the temporary staffing market by enacting a “Temporary Workers’ Bill of Rights.” In a possible harbinger for things to come nationwide – particularly in more worker-friendly states—New Jersey’s new law represents the most significant step yet that … Continue Reading
