The Fair Labor Standards Act can be a veritable legal liability minefield for the uninitiated. Just ask several of my friends who practice law on the plaintiff’s side. Heck, it can put an employment lawyer’s kids through college, no matter on which side of the “v” they practice. 😏
Last night, I read a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor that helps put this into perspective.
Some people in Dallas do some dumb stuff.
For example, every year, many locals hold out hope into late December or early January that the Cowboys will win the Super Bowl. After their hopes get dashed when the team inevitably chokes, the fans irrationally board the bandwagon the following Summer. It’s crazy!
But not as nuts as what I’m about to tell you.
Yesterday, the U.S. Equal Employment Commission’s newest General Counsel, Karla Gilbride, told reporters that addressing discrimination in American workplaces relating to the Israel-Hamas skirmish is a top priority for 2024. Continue reading
About a year ago, a media organization fired one of its reporters after it found his ‘inflammatory’ Instagram posts (NSFW) showing clips of his off-the-clock standup comedy routines.
Last week, an arbitrator, who found some of the reporter’s jokes ‘funny,’ ordered the company to rehire him. Continue reading
Gosh, in all the excitement of switching and starting a new law firm, I totally forgot to post the poll results from “Is ‘Die Hard’ a Christmas movie?”
I’m not the biggest fan of progressive discipline policies, which can often be too restrictive. Plus, deviations and inconsistencies in their application are ammunition for a plaintiff claiming discrimination to get to trial. But, when companies apply these policies to the letter, they create a formidable defense to these claims.
You’re not a doctor.
(Unless you’re a doctor.)
So don’t act like one when deciding which of your employees may be a direct threat to others at work.
(Unless you like defending Americans with Disabilities Act claims). Continue reading
Among the top employment issues that companies will need to navigate in 2024 is enforcing laws that have more recently taken effect.
I am thrilled to share that I am one of the founding partners of a new, technology-driven, full-service law firm called Pierson Ferdinand, LLP.
The Employer Handbook Blog