Q Our company wants to implement a policy to restrict personal cell phone usage only to break times. Can we ask workers to put their phones in their work lockers or on their supervisors' desks? There's no doubt cell...
Employment Law Letter
Q Thirty months ago, we promoted an individual to a position that requires a special license and included a pay raise. He has repeatedly failed to get his license and, as a result, has never been able to perform the job...
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sex discrimination in employment. One way an employer can violate that prohibition is by being responsible for a hostile work environment. To establish unlawful sex...
In many situations, the question of whether an employee's request for a religious accommodation is tied to sincere religious beliefs isn't at issue. Instead, you simply need to assess whether you can provide the...
As we end a tumultuous 2020 and move into a new year, it’s time to turn our attention to the more mundane issue of unemployment compensation. The following case addresses how much damage an employee must do before it...
A recent unemployment benefits case shows what employees must do, and what they aren’t required to do, to preserve their job rights after voluntarily leaving work because of an illness. The Arkansas Court of Appeals...
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits sex discrimination in employment. One way an employer can violate that prohibition is by being responsible for a hostile work environment. To establish unlawful sex...
Ding. Buzz. Buzz. Ding. Beep. Ding. Buzz. Beep. It seems like every five seconds, our phones send barrages of notifications our way. It’s a familiar feeling, wading through the mire of home screens or inboxes for...
With organizations engaged in many competing actions and objectives, we’re often inundated with tasks and new initiatives that seem to go on forever. If you’ve ever been in three meetings at once, driven to your next...
More than 30 years ago, the Washington Supreme Court ruled defense counsel may not engage in ex parte (or one-party) communications with a suing employee's treating physician. The Loudon rule, as it's known, was...
A decade after passing the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act (AMMA) by ballot initiative, Arizona citizens enthusiastically voted yes on Proposition 207, the "Smart and Safe Arizona Act" (SSAA), in November. Arizona and...
Courts again recently thwarted the Trump administration's efforts to change the H-1B rules and increase the wages U.S. employers are required to pay to foreign workers. On December 1 and 3, 2020, a federal court order in...
Q Should we allow bereavement leave for an employee to attend the funeral of her live-in boyfriend’s mother? Our bereavement policy covers employees’ mothers, fathers, siblings, children, grandparents, and in-laws. A...
With winter just around the corner, it won’t be long before many areas start seeing snow in the forecast. Businesses will soon be scrambling to clear their parking lots to ensure the safety of their customers and...
Now that the divisive and controversial presidential election is over, what can employers expect from the federal government in the next few months? With our crystal ball dusted off and polished, we expect Joe Biden’s...