Under the National Labor Relations Act, employers cannot interfere with or restrain employees in the exercise of their rights under the statute. At the same time, the law does not prevent employers from expressing opinions, so long as there is…
Employment Law
Did you know that employers can be held liable if a customer harasses an employee? A personal care services provider will pay $250,000 to end a suit. The suit accused it of allowing caregivers to be harassed. It also said…
A former employee in New York failed to state a cause of action under Title VII, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA). He claimed harassment and discrimination based on his wife's pregnancy. A federal district court in New…
A discharged employee waited a week for his last check. He said the late last check violated state law. Was he right? (more…)
A California-based ice cream company will pay $200,000 and take other steps to settle a lawsuit that accused it of engaging in national origin discrimination by illegally favoring Hispanic job applicants over others. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a…
The case presents a classic question: How far must employers go to provide religious accommodations for applicants and employees? Score one for employers on this one. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit decided that Walmart did not…
The U.S. Department of Labor has sued a hotel operator in Texas. The suit says a worker was fired for reporting a safety issue and seeking medical attention. According to the Department of Labor, in January 2019 an employee at…
A medical practice and the physician who ran it have been hit with a $375,000 judgment in a federal lawsuit that accused the defendants of subjecting employees to a religiously hostile work environment. The suit also said the defendants retaliated…
California’s highest court has ruled that employers in that state cannot engage in the practice of rounding time punches when it comes to meal periods. The court also ruled that time records showing noncompliant meal periods raise a rebuttable presumption…
Racial tensions continue to run high, and employers must always be mindful of how they can spill over into the workplace. In a newly filed lawsuit, a long-tenured realtor in Michigan is alleging that his broker wrongfully terminated his contract…
Kentucky’s highest court held that the state’s civil rights act does not prohibit employers from discharging employees based on their association with an individual who has a disability. It’s clear that discriminating against applicants and employees based on their disability…
What kind of statements are sufficient evidence of unlawful discrimination based on age? How about a description of an employee as a “later career person”? Or an employer’s statement that it is looking for a “high energy person” to fill…
A new lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) accuses a hospital operator of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by withdrawing a job offer after a new employee developed pregnancy-related complications. Taylor McKay applied for a…
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit delivered a very employer-friendly ruling in an ADA case involving an injured employee. The decision provides favorable news for employers regarding the duty to extend reasonable accommodations under the ADA. Paula…
How much control do employers have over their employees’ use of social media? Different considerations are relevant depending on whether the employer is public or private. In a recent ruling, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decided that a private…
Employment handbooks are a valuable tool for employers and can be used to set some employer-friendly terms. But there are lines that can’t be crossed. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit recently ruled that an employer went…
