Bars and restaurants have been absolutely crushed by the COVID-19 pandemic. And just as they were starting to get back on their feet, the devastating second surge arrived, threatening to force yet another mandatory...
Employment Law Letter
Can employers require employees to get vaccinated for COVID-19? The answer is generally yes, but with some important qualifications. Fortunately, after the first vaccine was approved for emergency use and distribution to...
Q If a pay date lands on a holiday, when do we need to pay our employeesbefore the holiday or on the next business day after the holiday? Under Idahos wage claim law, and under most states similar laws, employers are...
The imminent availability of a COVID-19 vaccine has garnered massive public attention. Perhaps the most pressing question from Colorado employers is, “Can employees be required to take the vaccine once it’s available?”...
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...
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...