AI is a tremendously powerful – and potentially helpful – tool for HR pros. But as an ongoing court case in Massachusetts shows, it comes with dangers that are sometimes hard to detect – and can land employers in court…
Employment Law
This case involves a tragedy that may – or may not – have been avoidable. Either way, it wasn’t a good look for the company, and it shows how crucial it is to provide regular training to managers. Pregnant worker…
A pair of rulings from two different federal district court judges in Texas have rejected federal regulation regarding the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and a new National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule regarding the meaning of “joint employer.”…
A Florida law that targets “wokeness” violates the free speech rights of employers, a federal appeals court has ruled. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit backed a lower court’s decision to block the law’s enforcement. At issue…
Proving unlawful race bias can be an uphill battle for employees. HR professionals can learn a lot from court decisions that say an employee's supposed evidence of race bias fell short – or really didn't show race bias at all.…
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has filed a complaint against a Tennessee farm and its HR manager. The alleged problem: FLSA retaliation. And as a trigger warning, some of the allegations are repulsive – definitely not your typical workplace…
Another company has tried to dodge obligations outlined in a consent decree, according to a new lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The issue: an ignored FLSA settlement agreement. But that strategy – ignoring a court order…
A bakery in New Orleans illegally fired a pregnant employee, the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) claimed in a new pregnancy discrimination lawsuit. The complaint alleged the Louisiana bakery violated two federal laws: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act…
Sometimes, an employee can adequately perform their job despite having a disability. And other times, disability-related limitations make them unqualified for the job. That line can be tricky to draw, but in this case a federal appeals court ruled that…
An Alabama employer’s “willful disregard” for safety led to an employee’s death, according to OSHA. The agency proposed a seven-figure fine, citing MDLG Inc., operating as Phenix Lumber Co., a sawmill in Alabama and its owners, John Menza Dudley Jr.…
At some point in your career as an HR pro, you’ve probably seen a manager who got bent out of shape about an employee’s accusation of discrimination. A new case shows how important it is for HR to step in…
Allegations of disability bias played a prominent role in two separate lawsuits that were filed and recently settled by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is the federal agency that enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The two…
Sometimes, a person of one sex may be paid less than a person of the other sex in the same job for reasons that have nothing to do with gender. That means that such a difference isn’t always proof of…
A New Jersey company was ordered to reinstate an employee who was fired for using the F-bomb and the N-word during a Zoom call. At first glance, the court's decision might seem a bit surprising – but it holds a…
It’s not too often that statutory language provides a pretty clear answer to a question that makes it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. But that’s exactly what happened when the High Court delivered an employee-friendly ruling about…
Last fall, the DOL announced that it would increase civil money penalties for child labor violations. And an egregious case out of western Pennsylvania highlights the need to increase protection efforts for underage workers. Sexual assault in restaurant bathroom The…
