Image Credit: Photofunia.com (https://photofunia.com/results/5d9aa283089f7ad4978b458c) Earlier this week, I detailed several feeble retaliation claims that a federal court easily brushed aside. Today, I’ll talk about another retaliation claim that almost suffered a similar fate until one of the most conservative federal appellate courts in the country breathed new life into it.…
By Franz Jantzen, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States – https://www.oyez.org/justices/neil_gorsuch, Public Domain, Link After reading 133 pages of transcripts from yesterday’s two (1, 2) oral arguments in the three LGBT workplace rights cases pending before the Supreme Court, three things are clear to me: First, the…
Image Credit: Pixabay.com It’s been a while since the Supreme Court weighed in on a big-time employment-law issue. That’s about to change. Today, the Supreme Court will hear oral argument in three cases: EEOC v. R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes, Inc. Bostock v. Clayton County Zarda v. Altitude Express, Inc.…
Image Credit: Photofunia.com (https://photofunia.com/results/5d9aa283089f7ad4978b458c) Retaliation is one of the most common employment claims pursued in court. Indeed, it’s the #1 claim individuals make at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). A retaliation claim consists of three elements: (1) a protected activity; (2) materially-adverse employment action; and (3) a nexus…
Image Credit: YouTube Just before Christmas last year, a referee in a high school wrestling match in New Jersey told an African-American wrestler that he must cut his dreadlocks or forfeit the match. This made national news. Fast forward to September 2019. Following a thorough investigation, New Jersey Attorney Gurbir…
Image Credit: Photofunia.com (https://photofunia.com/results/5d92b3c0089f7a3a938b457d) Often, when I present at HR events on reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, I’m asked about how to deal with disciplining employees who wait until after the performance issues arise and the progressive discipline follows to request an accommodation. Specifically, do you have…
Image Credit: Photofunia.com (https://photofunia.com/results/5d8ded1e089f7aab308b457c) (Eric, have you been drinking Peach Schnapps again?) No, my college August days are long behind me. And there’s an actual HR-compliance point to this post. Last night, on my flight back from Phoenix where I was explaining how to avoid workplace investigation missteps to attendees…
Photo via Good Free Photos Please don’t tell my wife. Although, it’s not like I’ll be cheating. Rather, we’ll just have some purely platonic discussion about HR compliance. Try not to catch the vapors. On Tuesday, October 1 at 12:00-1:30 PM ET (9:00-10:30 AM PT), you can join me and…
Image Credit: Publicdomainfiles.com (http://www.publicdomainfiles.com/show_file.php?id=13929356417087) I can often draw upon my years of experience as an employment lawyer to predict from reading the first paragraph of a federal court opinion how the court is going to decide the discrimination claim before it. Let’s see what you think. Here’s the first paragraph…
Fred the Oyster [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsOne of the first hits when you Google ‘resignation letter’ is this career advice from Monster. The job board offers some tips for crafting a letter of resignation, among them: a statement of intent that you will be leaving your job, the date…