The Employer Handbook Blog

Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on the ADA. Plus, Bill Murray’s attorney responds to that cease and desist 👀

September 28, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Over the weekend, President Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett, United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, to fill the open Supreme Court seat. Since this is an ***check notes*** employment law blog, many of you may be wondering how Judge Barrett would decide an employment law case on the Supreme Court. Continue reading

Check out this demand letter that The Doobie Brothers’ lawyer sent to actor Bill Murray!!! 👀 Oh, and a free webinar.

September 25, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Harald Krichel / CC BY-SA

In a demand letter sent Wednesday to actor Bill Murray, an attorney for The Doobie Brothers told the actor to stop using his clients’ music in his commercials without paying for it, while condemning Mr. Murray to “eternal damnation” for his Garfield movies.

Ouch!

The White House will limit how government contractors train on diversity and inclusion too

September 24, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Executive-Order-on-Combating-Race-and-Sex-Stereotyping-The-White-House

WhiteHouse.gov

A few weeks ago, I blogged here about the White House changing federal diversity training. Eighty-six “critical race theory” and “white privilege” in any training for government workers. For that matter, all training on any propaganda effort that “teaches or suggests either (1) that the United States is an inherently racist or evil country or (2) that any race or ethnicity is inherently racist or evil,” would end.

On Tuesday, the White House signed an Executive Order expanding those training bans to government contractors too. Continue reading

How can you tell an employee from an independent contractor? I’ll explain in about two minutes.

September 23, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Employee versus independent contractor, who cares? The U.S. Department of Labor, that’s who.

(And that means you should too.) Continue reading

In Philadelphia, just about everyone is eligible now for COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave

September 22, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

vargas2040, Cropped by OsamaK / CC BY-SA

You get emergency paid sick leave! You get emergency paid sick leave! You get emergency paid sick leave! Continue reading

The legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg lives on as lawmakers seek fairness for pregnant workers

September 21, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Supreme Court of the United States / Public domain

Discord lies ahead in the coming weeks as 100 Senators will indeed wage a fierce battle to address the new Supreme Court opening that the passing of Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Friday created. Yet, there was still harmonic support from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for this champion of equal rights. Continue reading

No, the Americans with Disabilities Act does not require accommodating CBD use

September 18, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Jeoy Pena / CC BY-SA

Courts across the country have consistently concluded that the Americans with Disabilities Act does not require an employer to accommodate an employee’s use of medical marijuana — even outside of work — to enable an employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job.

But, what about using cannabidiol (CBD) instead — like with a teensy bit of THC that’s not enough to get anyone high? Continue reading

If you could design the perfect “Return to Work from COVID-19” HR-compliance presentation…

September 17, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

science-in-hd-9kSTF9PvETM-unsplash-1024x684

Photo by Science in HD on Unsplash

Ok, confession time.

I’ve procrastinated on preparing the slide deck for my upcoming presentation, A Return to Work from COVID-19: EEO and Other Employment Law Considerations, for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Continue reading

I’m checks notes supporting a member of the Dallas Cowboys??? Yep.

September 16, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Jeffrey Beall / CC BY

Allow me to explain — at least before you call the police and have me hauled off to Philadelphia Eagles prison. Continue reading

Those COVID-19 stay-at-home and business-closure orders in your state may be unlawful after all

September 15, 2020 | by Eric B. Meyer

Paul Sherlock / CC BY-SA

Yesterday, a Pennsylvania federal judge issued this 66-page blockbuster decision, in which he concluded, among other things, that Governor Wolf violated the United States Constitution with orders closing “non-life-sustaining” businesses otherwise and directing Pennsylvanians to stay at home.