Employment Law Letter

Handling ADA requests for service animals at work

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many remote employees have no doubt strengthened their bonds with and emotional dependency on their pets and, in some cases, service animals. As a result, you should expect to see a surge in...

Jun 30, 2021 · Employment Law Letter · Great Lakes · Illinois · Indiana · Michigan · Ohio · Wisconsin · Mid-Atlantic · Delaware · Maryland · New Jersey · Pennsylvania · Virginia · Midsouth · Kentucky · North Carolina · South Carolina · Tennessee · West Virginia · Midwest · Arkansas · Kansas · Missouri · Oklahoma · Mountain West · Colorado · Idaho · Montana · New Mexico · Utah · Wyoming · New England · Connecticut · Maine · Massachusetts · New Hampshire · Rhode Island · Vermont · Southeast · Alabama · Florida · Georgia · Louisiana · Mississippi · Upper Midwest · Iowa · Minnesota · Nebraska · North Dakota · South Dakota · West · Alaska · Arizona · Hawaii · Nevada · Oregon · Washington

Biden EOs support unions, set $15 minimum wage for federal contractors

President Joe Biden recently signed two Executive Orders (EOs) with substantial implications for nonunion employers as well as those employing workers on federal contracts and subcontracts. Let’s take a closer look...

NLRB says contract bar is here to stay

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently affirmed it will continue to follow and enforce the long-established “contract-bar doctrine,” which provides unions with protection from ouster during most of a...

MN Legislature extends COVID presumption, raises minimum compensation rate

The Minnesota Legislature recently passed workers’ compensation legislation extending the COVID-19 presumption for certain workers from May 1 to December 31, 2021. Lawmakers also raised the minimum compensation rate for...

Michigan employers must continue to require masks (for now)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released interim public health recommendations that state: “Fully vaccinated people can resume activities [in indoor and outdoor settings] without...

Employee's claim termination violated public policy fails

The Connecticut Appellate Court recently affirmed the dismissal of a former employee's claim he was terminated in violation of the state's "public policy" for opposing a plan to use telephone poles that contained...

Jun 30, 2021 · Employment Law Letter · New England · Connecticut

Sleep deprivation is no excuse! Supervisor fired for sleeping on duty

A Massachusetts federal court judge recently put to bed the claims of a former transit cop fired for sleeping on the job. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) runs the public transit system in the Boston...

Jun 30, 2021 · Employment Law Letter · New England · Massachusetts

'First State' is first at working from home

WalletHub recently released a report ranking Delaware as the best state in the union for working from home. The study considered factors such as the share of workers working from home before COVID-19, Internet cost...

5th Circuit delivers win to UPS on discrimination, hostile environment claims

Objectively documenting an employee’s poor performance can dispose of discrimination claims before a costly trial, according to a recent decision from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Louisiana...

Allegations of rude, dismissive treatment not enough to support same-sex harassment claim

The U.S. Supreme Court’s Bostock decision extended the protections against discrimination and harassment under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to gay and transgender persons. The landmark 2020 ruling, however...

4th Circuit: Failure to cooperate in investigation isn't protected activity

After two former Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) employees filed wrongful termination claims, the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers North Carolina, South Carolina, and West Virginia employers)...

Jun 30, 2021 · Employment Law Letter · California · New York · Texas · Great Lakes · Illinois · Indiana · Michigan · Ohio · Wisconsin · Mid-Atlantic · Delaware · Maryland · New Jersey · Pennsylvania · Virginia · Midsouth · Kentucky · North Carolina · South Carolina · Tennessee · West Virginia · Midwest · Arkansas · Kansas · Missouri · Oklahoma · Mountain West · Colorado · Idaho · Montana · New Mexico · Utah · Wyoming · New England · Connecticut · Maine · Massachusetts · New Hampshire · Rhode Island · Vermont · Southeast · Alabama · Florida · Georgia · Louisiana · Mississippi · Upper Midwest · Iowa · Minnesota · Nebraska · North Dakota · South Dakota · West · Alaska · Arizona · Hawaii · Nevada · Oregon · Washington

Alabama Albert L. Vreeland and David J. Middlebrooks of Lehr Middlebrooks Vreeland & Thompson, P.C.
Florida G. Thomas Harper of The Law and Mediation Offices of G. Thomas Harper, LLC, Lisa Berg and Andrew Rodman of Stearns Weaver Miller, and Robert J. Sniffen and Jeff Slanker of Sniffen & Spellman, P.A.
Georgia Raanon Gal of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, Glianny Fagundo of Thompson Hine LLP and Chris Butler of the Chris Butler Firm
Louisiana H. Mark Adams and Jennifer Kogos of Jones Walker LLP
Mississippi Martin J. Regimbal of The Kullman Firm