The Employer Handbook Blog

Wow, I can actually feel myself becoming a more insufferable Eagles fan with this FMLA post.

February 7, 2018 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image Credit: Photofunia.com

Happy belated 25th Birthday, Family and Medical Leave Act.

A couple of my blogging buddies, Jeff Nowak and Jon Hyman, formally recognized the occasion on Monday. Here is Jon’s post. Here is Jeff’s post.

Although I’m late to the party, I did bake a cake. And I today’s post is about a recent FMLA-decision-cum-HR/manager-screw-up that you may want to read all the way through to avoid a similar misfortune. Continue reading

I’m just going to leave some not-so-subtle hints here about how to up your company’s harassment-training game

February 6, 2018 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image Credit: Photofunia.com

Still recovering from a late night of Super Bowl watching, I was looking forward to mailing it in today with a blog post that isn’t exactly going to break any word-count records. So today, I tip my hat to my friends at Wolters Kluwer Employment Law Daily who reported yesterday on SHRM’s “Harassment-Free Workplace Series: A Focus on Sexual Harassment.”

This is the first part of the SHRM series. It seems like nice blogging fodder. And God bless them, it’s basically a big infographic. Continue reading

The Philadelphia Eagles are Super Bowl LII Champions!!!

February 5, 2018 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image Credit: @JakeMONTGOMERY on Twitter

Oh, you were expecting employment law today?

Ok, here’s a tip. New England fans are not a protected class. It’s ok to make fun. Cowboys fans too.

Then, go high-five some of your other employees. The underdog prevailed. The Eagles won the Super Bowl! Continue reading

Don’t forget leave as an ADA accommodation. (Yeah, that’s right. Leave!)

February 2, 2018 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image Credit: Photofunia.com

Over the Summer, I blogged here about the Seventh Circuit’s decision in Severson v. Heartland Woodcraft, Inc. (opinion here).

In Severson, the Court concluded that “a multimonth leave of absence is beyond the scope of a reasonable accommodation under the ADA….Simply put, an extended leave of absence does not give a disabled individual the means to work; it excuses his not working.” (my emphasis)

It’s an excellent opinion for employers, especially those that do business in Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin.

But, I want to use today’s post to refocus and remind you that leave can be a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Continue reading

In hindsight, maybe re-hiring the guy who allegedly drugged and assaulted a female co-worker was a bad choice.

February 1, 2018 | by Eric B. Meyer

Image Credit: Pexels.com

You know what? Strike that. Milk was a bad choice.

When a car dealership allegedly rehired the guy who supposedly drugged and assaulted a female co-worker — now the plaintiff in this action — it bought itself a viable hostile work environment claim. Continue reading