The Employer Handbook Blog

Real leadership is admitting when you’re wrong (like firing a Jewish employee who calls out Nazis).

January 22, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

On Wednesday, I wrote (here) about the New York Mets’ decision to terminate its General Manager, just one month into his tenure, because the team recently learned that he sexted a female reporter in 2016 while working for the Chicago Cubs in their front office.

By all accounts, the general manager’s first month with the Mets had been largely successful, producing some good trades to improve the team’s chances of winning the World Series. So, the decision to fire him could not have been easy. But, it seemed like the right thing to do and reflected accountability and strong leadership.

But, not all terminations are alike. Continue reading

Eight ways that President Biden changed employment law on Day One. That was fast!!!

January 21, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

On Monday, I blogged about President Biden’s first HR-compliance wish list, which focused on COVID-19 mitigation efforts.

On Wednesday, President Biden was sworn in. And, folks, he wasted no time making moves that will impact labor and employment law. Continue reading

In his first month on the job, the new Mets GM completed two blockbuster trades. And yesterday, it seems he got fired for sexting.

January 20, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

By Richiek – Own work CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

On December 13, 2020, the New York Mets announced that the club had named Jared Porter the team’s 14th General Manager in franchise history. Porter agreed to a four-year contract. In just over a month since then, the team had made some blockbuster trades for stars like Francisco Lindor, Carlos Carasco, and Joey Lucchesi. Things were looking up for the Mets.

However, yesterday, the same day that the team announced the Lucchesi trade, new majority team owner Steve Cohen tweeted that the team had fired Mr. Porter. What the heck happened?!?

FACT OR FICTION: Complying with ADEA disclosure requirements for a layoff means listing foreign non-U.S. workers too

January 19, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image Credit: Photofunia

It’s time for another edition of “Fact or Fiction” a/k/a “Quick Answers to Quick Questions” a/k/a QATQQ f/k/a “I don’t feel like writing a long blog post.” Continue reading

President-Elect Biden published his first HR compliance wish list. (And you won’t believe No. 3!)

January 18, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

I always click on those “And you won’t believe No…” posts.

How about you? Continue reading

An employee curses out a customer on Twitter. Was she fired? Heck no! The company had her back!

January 15, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

@MaidenSarah2 on Twitter

Often on this blog, I write about employees who lose their jobs for doing dumb stuff on social media — like the one-time Associate General Counsel and HR Director who live-streamed himself on Instagram from the Capitol riots. I’ve got slide decks full of this stuff from HR conferences I’ve presented over the years.

So, when I read that an employee of a grooming products company in England tweeted that a customer was a ‘t**t’ and a ‘f*****g w****r,’ my first impulse is to insert another PowerPoint slide.

Boy, was I wrong! Continue reading

A federal court just greenlit the failure-to-accommodate claim of a medical marijuana user. But why?!?

January 14, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image by Tumisu from Pixabay

Oh, I was just asking. I thought you knew. Continue reading

The EEOC has some big news for fans of EEO-1 filings!!!

January 13, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

party supplies by Made by Made from the Noun Project

Pay attention, you two! Continue reading

Can you fire an employee for complaining that the company violated state/local COVID-19 orders?

January 12, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

whistleblower by Lorie Shaull from the Noun Project

Often, readers of the blog will email me recent blogworthy HR news.

Occasionally, an attorney will send me a favorable decision that s/he obtained for a client on an employment law topic that may interest readers of this blog. Today, that’s what I’ve got for you — a case involving some healthcare workers who claimed that their former employer fired them for complaining that the company was not following state and local COVID-19 mandates. Continue reading

Before your business rewards employees for getting the COVID-19 vaccine, read this. (It may save you a lawsuit.)

January 11, 2021 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image by Shafin Al Asad Protic from Pixabay

According to a recent SHRM survey, most companies will encourage employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine — but not require it. Many employers, like this one, may even incentivize employees to get the vaccine by offering them money or extra PTO days to get the needle.

But, if you’re thinking about doing something similar, slow your roll. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), you may end up unwittingly violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Continue reading