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The Employer Handbook BlogCourt Nixes Elective Abortion Accommodation Mandate—but Discriminate At Your Own Risk
The PWFA was designed to support pregnant workers.
But when the EEOC included abortion in the mix, a federal court hit pause. Continue reading
No Cause? No Problem. Supreme Court Foreshadows Political Purge
The Supreme Court appears ready to give the President what amounts to a blank check to fire a Senate-confirmed member of the National Labor Relations Board — no cause, no hearing, no due process. Just “You’re fired,” in an 11 p.m. email. Continue reading
When Your Emails Make the Case… for the Other Side
Flamethrower messages torpedo an ADA claim in this no-nonsense ruling from a federal appellate court. Continue reading
So You’ve Gotta File an EEO-1 Report. Now What?
If you’ve been staring at the words “EEO-1 Component 1” and thinking they sound like a rejected Star Wars droid, you’re not alone. But if you’re an HR pro at a private company with 100+ employees (or a federal contractor with 50+ employees and a contract over $50,000), you’ve got a legal obligation to get this right—and soon. Continue reading
Federal Judge Halts EEOC’s Attempt to Mandate Gender Identity Protections
A Texas federal court has weighed in on how far the EEOC can go when interpreting Title VII.
Spoiler alert: it didn’t go well for the EEOC. Continue reading
Two employees. One marriage. Half the leave? A new bill would change that.
If two employees are married and work for the same company, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) lets their employer cap their combined leave at 12 weeks. A new bill in Congress proposes to eliminate that restriction. Continue reading
A federal judge just remanded a wage-and-hour case, and used two Simpsons references to do it. That’s enough to embiggen my blogging motivation.
This isn’t just a cromulent decision—it’s a reminder that attorneys’ fees can’t be used to shoehorn a small state wage claim into federal court. Continue reading
Fired Over $15. Or Was It the HR Complaints?
Fired Over $15. Or Was It the HR Complaints?
A laundromat worker reimbursed herself $15 from the register for a taxi fare—something she claimed was standard practice with a receipt. Three days later, she was fired. But because she had just complained about racial harassment, disability discrimination, and unpaid wages, the timing raised red flags.
The Second Circuit said a jury should decide whether she was fired for taking the $15—or for speaking up. Continue reading
Equal Pay, FLSA, and a $3.27M Verdict: Jury Sides with Fired Chief People Officer in Her Retaliation Case Against A Law Firm
You’d expect a company to listen when its Chief People Officer—especially one with nearly three decades of labor and employment law experience—raises concerns about compliance. Instead, this employer—a law firm—reassigned her shortly thereafter and fired her within the week of returning from bereavement leave. A jury just awarded her $3.27 million for retaliation.