Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—as amended in 1978 by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)—makes it unlawful for an employer to discharge or otherwise discriminate against a woman because she is pregnant. In...
Employment Law Letter
Employers may recall that earlier this year, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) limiting the recognition of gender to male and female. Texas Governor Greg Abbott then passed a similar directive shortly after...
Employee leave management has become an increasingly complex aspect of human resources, requiring a solid understanding of intersecting federal laws and company policies. From accommodating medical needs to maintaining...
When budgets tighten—whether because of a federal government shutdown, grant cuts, manufacturing slowdowns, or a dip in tourism—some employers face the difficult decision to reduce staff. If layoffs are on the table...
Recall that all employees are entitled to overtime compensation under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) unless their duties fall within an exemption. An often-misunderstood exemption is the administrative exemption—in...
Weight is not a protected characteristic in most civil rights laws, meaning workplace discrimination based on weight is largely permitted. There is some momentum to include weight as a protected category in civil rights...
Imagine you’re having lunch with a former employee who’s moved on to a new job with your company’s direct competitor. During the conversation, the person casually says, “Hey, what if we exchanged contact information and...
The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (MN-DOLI) recently published guidance on some of the key amendments to Minnesota’s meal and rest break laws that are set to take effect January 1, 2026. In this article, we...
The H-1B visa has long been a cornerstone of U.S. immigration policy, allowing American companies to hire highly skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations like technology, engineering, and health care. But a...
In a recent decision, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (which issues rulings that apply to employers in West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia) discussed the importance of an employee...
On September 19, President Donald Trump issued a presidential proclamation regarding the popular H-1B visa that sent H-1B visa holders and the employers that rely on them into a panic. This update is intended to...
Political discussions between employees at work become heated, negative political social media posts go viral, off-duty employees are photographed participating in off-duty protests, or workers show up at work wearing...
In a case involving overtime allegedly owed to sales reps, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the “preponderance of the evidence” standard applies when an employer attempts to show an employee is exempt from the minimum...
Q Can an employer have employees sign an agreement authorizing the employer to deduct from employees’ paychecks to cover the cost of employee uniforms? This depends on a variety of factors. In general, under the Fair...
Under the Biden administration, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) attempted to pursue a robust regulatory approach to restrict noncompete agreements. Those efforts were derailed in August 2024, however, when a federal...