Close

Articles Posted in Human Resources Policies

Updated:

You Snooze, You Lose (Your Arbitration Clause)

“Heads I win, tails you lose.” That’s how the Sixth Circuit described one hospital’s strategy after it tried to switch to arbitration only after losing some key early motions in court. The judges didn’t flip for it. TL;DR: A Michigan hospital tried to move a religious-discrimination case to arbitration only…

Updated:

Can employers compel arbitration in sex discrimination cases, or is there a loophole?

In 2022, Congress passed a law that makes it harder for employers to require arbitration in certain workplace cases. Some employees are now trying to use that law to keep sex discrimination lawsuits in court. A recent case in Connecticut shows the limits of that strategy: not every sex discrimination…

Updated:

When policy violations aren’t hacking: Third Circuit shuts down employer’s scorched-earth lawsuit

  It started with a sick day, a spreadsheet literally called “My Passwords.xlsx,” and a colleague trying to help. It ended with a company accusing two former employees of federal computer crimes and trade secret theft. The Third Circuit’s response? Nice try — but workplace policy violations aren’t hacking. TL;DR:…

Updated:

LIVE ZOOM PANEL: How the One Big Beautiful Bill Will Impact Your Workforce (July 24 at Noon ET)

Where have I been? I took a short break from July 4 through July 14 to spend some time offline on vacation with my family. Thanks for your patience—and I promise this one was worth the wait. The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) became law on July 4—and with it,…

Updated:

SCOTUS to Retirees: You Can’t Spell ADA Without a J-O-B

The ADA bars discrimination against employees with disabilities. But what if the discrimination doesn’t happen until after the employee retires? According to the Supreme Court, the ADA doesn’t follow you into retirement. TL;DR: A firefighter who retired early due to disability sued under the ADA after her post-retirement health coverage…

Updated:

There’s a new BIPARTISAN Paid Leave Proposal in Congress. Here’s What Employers Need to Know About It.

A pair of lawmakers from opposite sides of the aisle just dropped one of the most ambitious paid leave proposals in years. It won’t create a national mandate—but it could reshape the paid leave landscape for employers across the country. TL;DR: A new bipartisan bill—the More Paid Leave for More…

Updated:

ADA Claims Aren’t About Perfect Decisions — They’re About Proving Discrimination

When employees allege discrimination under the ADA, it’s their burden to prove bias — not the employer’s burden to defend every business decision. A recent Seventh Circuit case reinforces that when employers apply clear policies consistently, even imperfect decisions won’t amount to discrimination. TL;DR: An employee who failed a random…

Updated:

Burned by the Tape: When Secretly Recording Work Meetings Gets You Fired

Employees might think pressing record is harmless—especially when trying to document what’s said in a heated meeting. But one Director of Social Services found out the hard way that secret recordings—even legal ones—can land employees on the unemployment line. TL;DR: A federal appeals court sided with an employer that fired…

Updated:

Burned by the ADA: When Legal Weed Gets You Fired

Turns out a medical marijuana card can’t cure everything—especially if what you’ve got is a bad case of ADA expectations. Here’s a lesson in what happens when federal law refuses to roll with the times. TL;DR: A Pennsylvania federal court just held that legally using medical marijuana under state law…