There’s a big difference between mistreating an employee and mistreating an employee for a reason that the law prohibits. In other words, there’s no law against just being a jerk. In a perfect world, there would be no mistreatment at…
Employment Law
A federal court in Ohio granted an asphalt company’s motion for summary judgment on an employee’s age discrimination claims. Here's why the employer was able to nip this case in the bud. From 2014 until 2021, Rick Bowersmith worked at…
One way to prove unlawful sex-based pay discrimination is to show that an employee of a different sex does a similar job but gets paid more. But to win in this way, the plaintiff must show that the other employee…
A security services provider will pay more than $1.1 million following a DOL investigation that found it wrongfully deducted meal break time for hundreds of employees. The DOL’s Wage and Hour Division investigated Universal Protection Service LP, which does business…
Sometimes, the hidden risk poses the greatest danger. Dolgencorp, LLC, which does business as Dollar General, has agreed to pay $1 million and take other steps to settle an EEOC lawsuit that accused it of violating federal law by requiring…
Keeping workers engaged and purpose-driven is an important part of HR's job, but so is avoiding legal risks related to the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Equal Employment Opportunity Act and more. In an episode…
Beginning at the start of next year, a pair of California state law amendments will increase the employment law rights of marijuana users in the state. In combination, the amendments generally bar employers from discriminating based on the use of…
Among the more head-spinning laws HR has to grapple with, the Employment Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ranks near the top of the list. ERISA, which sets federal rules for health and retirement plans, lays out specific requirements about what…
You might think you know all the ins and outs of when time worked by employees -- including OT -- must be paid. After all, it sounds like a pretty simple question, right? But as savvy HR pros know, even…
In Idaho, a doggie daycare facility and its former owner will pay $50,000 in general and punitive damages to resolve two former employees’ whistleblower complaints, the DOL announced in a press release. Two employees filed whistleblower complaints with…
Under the ADA, a broad variety of accommodations may need to be provided to applicants and employees with disabilities. Both the statute and implementing regulations demonstrate this breadth by providing specific examples of changes that may be required as reasonable…
Even if a six-figure payout doesn’t make you cringe, the details of this lawsuit probably will. A woman in Virginia was fired for "suspicion of contraband" because she wore a tampon at work. Here’s the rest of the story: Body…
An onslaught of new lawsuits filed by the EEOC near the end of September demonstrates the wide scope of protection afforded to applicants and employees with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In five federal lawsuits filed within…
For HR pros, it’s a long-standing principle that company documentation can make or break an employer in court. On one hand, solid documentation can protect employers from potential legal trouble. But on the other hand, paperwork mistakes (like these common…
So you’ve decided to organize a fun activity for employees to participate in. Maybe you’ll set up a cornhole tournament or friendly softball game. Everyone can have a little fun and go home happy. What could possibly go wrong? The…
As the RTO wars continue, employers are pushing hard to get workers back into their cubicles, with some going so far as to “incentivize” office time with punitive consequences for noncompliance. But as this RTO lawsuit shows, some employers may…
