Swastika cupcakes?!?

December 1, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

Yesterday, I read this story from David Moye on Huffington Post about a young Jewish girl’s birthday party at which the guests — friends of the birthday girl — were allowed to frost cupcakes. Well, it seems that two of the party guests decided that it would be funny to frost a chocolate swastika into their cupcakes and upload photos to Snapchat.

The mortified mother of the birthday girl called it a “teachable moment” about the horrors of the Holocaust, which, ironically, the swastika frosters had just learned about in school.

So, what does this have to do with your workplace?

Got young employees? They pray to different gods? Then, you need this EEOC fact sheet.

July 26, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

Less colloquially, last Friday, the EEOC released this one-page fact sheet “designed to help young workers better understand their rights and responsibilities under the federal employment anti-discrimination laws prohibiting religious discrimination.” You can read the EEOC press release here.

New EEOC lawsuit highlights the discrimination risks of mandatory flu shots

June 7, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

Last week, the EEOC announced (here) that it had filed this lawsuit against a Massachusetts employer, in which it alleges that the company violated federal law when it refused to effectively accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs.

It’s a wicked pissah!

You guys don’t have to let employees pray to a Flying Spaghetti Monster. Probably.

April 18, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

Even a true “Pastafarian.”

Five employment cases blowing up my DropBox and Pocket

January 7, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

You know, being a client of the Blogger King has its perks. (That’s me. I’m the Blogger King). When I’m not litigating and counseling on employment-related issues, I’m taking blog post requests and emailing weekly updates of HR goodies that don’t make it onto the blog.

But, with my DropBox and Pocket chock full of recent cases, I’ll summarize the recent biggies.

How the heck do you accommodate the religious beliefs of hundreds of employees?

January 6, 2016 | by Eric B. Meyer

Yesterday, I had one of those moments. You know the ones.

For me, it was when a client asked me when I was going to blog about the Muslim workers in Colorado who were denied prayer breaks and, then, allegedly fired for protesting.

So, I did what any self respecting employment-lawyer-blogger would do: I Googled “Muslim Prayer Employee Protest Colorado Fired,” and I promised a client-inspired Wednesday post.

Did you hear the one about the HR Manager who’d never heard of Title VII?

October 27, 2015 | by Eric B. Meyer

The bottom of the first page of this recent federal court opinion in EEOC v. Star Transport, Inc. really grabbed my attention:

In December 2008 or January 2009, Edward Briggs became Star Transport’s Human Resources Manager. He received no training on anti-discrimination laws, was not aware of any exceptions to the “at will” employment policy, had never heard of Title VII, and had no understanding of the company’s obligation to accommodate an employee’s religious beliefs. Gene Ozella was Star Transport’s Personnel Manager from 2008 to 2011; he also received no training on anti-discrimination laws…

How do you think this religious discrimination case is going to end for the employer?

Continue reading

She was fired for refusing to pray with a client. Why did this employee LOSE her religious bias lawsuit?

August 24, 2015 | by Eric B. Meyer

Do you want the answer from me? Oh, this is awkward. I was literally asking you. But, ok, fine. I think that I can help.

As the Supreme Court toughens religious-accommodation rules, 5 ways employers can avoid trouble.

June 2, 2015 | by Eric B. Meyer

Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court, in an 8-1 decision, ruled that an employer that does not know that a job applicant may need a religious accommodation can discriminate against that job applicant. All that matters are the employer’s motivations.

Allow me to explain. Continue reading

“My religion or my job?” That’s a bad workplace question.

April 29, 2015 | by Eric B. Meyer

It’s not that often that you come across a case where an employee alleges a hostile work environment based on religion. Sex? Sure. Race? Yep. But religion? Not so much.

Yet, when your employees are faced with the choice “My religion or my job,” it’s time to call the lawyers.

Cause, I mean, there’s proselytizing. And then there’s

PROSELYTIZING