On January 21—President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s second day in office—he issued an Executive Order (EO) titled “Protecting Worker Health and Safety,” directing the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Occupational Health and...
Employment Law Letter
As we hopefully head toward widespread COVID-19 vaccinations and back to some sort of new normal, employers should remember business information is often valuable because it’s secret, and it’s secret and protectable only...
Editor’s note: St. Louis attorney Robert A. Kaiser, who was interviewed for this story (which first appeared in the HR Daily Advisor), is a longtime editor of Missouri Employment Law Letter and a contributing editor to...
With COVID-19’s negative impact on employee staffing levels and companies’ ability to operate, many employers have considered offering bonuses or other incentives to those who voluntarily receive the vaccine. But are the...
After being cooped up for nearly a year because of COVID-19, many employees may be looking to take spring break getaways in the coming months. As is the case with most issues involving the pandemic, however, the travel...
The Minnesota Supreme Court recently issued an employment law decision that will have a significant impact on HR policies across the state. Even when an employee handbook contains a general disclaimer stating no parts of...
On January 21, 2021, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order (EO) directing the labor secretary, acting through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to issue “revised guidance to employers on...
Under federal and state antidiscrimination statutes, most employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees who experience a disability that interferes with their performance. The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of...
Last November, Portland voters approved a referendum mandating “emergency pay” for workers on-site in the city. During state and city emergencies, employees are entitled to at least 1.5 times the minimum wage. Proponents...
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal statute that provides antidiscrimination protections for workers. The protections, however, apply only to "employees." Recently, the 4th Circuit (which covers North...
The debate over what makes a worker an employee versus an independent contractor has been raging for years—throughout presidential administrations of both political parties. Sometimes employers work under a strict...
Enterprise faces a class action lawsuit after several employees of the car rental agency alleged they were terminated without prior warning in violation of a federal law that specifically requires employers to give...
The question in the headline is one that eludes a common answer in courts in differing parts of the country. Here in Texas, the answer is “no,” but the times may be changing. Racial epithet scrawled in elevator Robert...
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently tackled the thorny and misunderstood issue of travel time. Specifically, it issued a new opinion letter addressing whether you must pay employees for travel time on days when...
Ever been bitten by a class action under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)? That’s what happens when lots of employees sue your company all at once for failing to pay minimum wages or overtime. It often occurs when...