Search
The Employer Handbook BlogAllow Me to Reintroduce Myself
My name is Eric Meyer, a founding partner at Pierson Ferdinand LLP. You may know me as the guy who turns someone else’s workplace disaster into your morning reading. Continue reading
Articles Posted in Pennsylvania
“Not Crazy About White People” Allegedly Appeared in an HR Report. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
The employer hired an outside investigator to examine workplace concerns. A former HR employee later relied on what the investigator allegedly documented to support her own bias claims.
The Employer Appealed a $1 Million Punitive Award. The Third Circuit Made It $2 Million.
The company had an anti-harassment policy, trained its employee-relations manager to investigate complaints, and opened one. Then it assigned the accused supervisor to counsel the employee who complained about him.
Title VII Bans Discrimination and Retaliation, Not Stressful Offices or Difficult Bosses
The employer offered him $400,000 to stay. He still claimed that workplace stress, microaggressions, and an abrasive executive amounted to race discrimination.
What Actually Gets Employers Sued — Live and Free on Zoom, August 21, 2026 at Noon ET
Let’s be honest: nobody dreams of ending up on the wrong end of an employment lawsuit. And yet, every year, well-meaning HR teams and in-house counsel find themselves scrambling to answer the question, “Wait, how did this become a case?” Continue reading
Caught Sleeping on Shift, Then Citing a Diagnosis: Why the Timing Killed This ADA Claim
A hospital tech got caught sleeping on the overnight shift. Blaming a diabetes medication for it, only after getting caught, didn’t turn her firing into disability discrimination.
Trashing an Employee on Social Media Can Count as Retaliation
A hospital and university didn’t just demote an employee over his criticism of a race-based practice. They went on social media to trash him, and that’s the bigger legal problem.
Fired a Medical Marijuana User After a Drug Test? A Pennsylvania Court Says Not So Fast.
Firing a medical marijuana user after a positive drug test may seem straightforward — until a federal court explains why it isn’t.
Coworker Says the N-Word. Employer Fires Him Within a Week. Court: No Liability.
One racial slur. One termination. Zero liability. The Third Circuit’s newest hostile work environment decision is a masterclass in what prompt employer action actually looks like.
Two Nonsolicitation Mistakes That Can Cost Employers an Injunction
Restrictive covenants often rise or fall at the preliminary injunction stage. A Pennsylvania appellate decision shows how two common drafting mistakes can derail an employer’s attempt to enforce a nonsolicitation agreement. Continue reading