The global coronavirus epidemic has changed life as we know it. On March 17, Bay Area counties issued "shelter in place" orders directing residents to stay inside their homes and away from others for three weeks. Two...
Employment Law Letter
As part of a routine handbook acknowledgment, an employer and its employee entered into a binding arbitration agreement. Unhappy with the outcome after arbitrating an employment dispute, the employee appealed, asking the...
Employers that are sued for disability discrimination and failure to provide reasonable accommodations or engage in the interactive process often face a Hobson's choice: Endure the inherent risks and uncertainties of a...
The California Supreme Court recently held that employees who settle and release their individual wage and hour claims may still have standing (i.e., the right or authority) to pursue a representative action for civil...
The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is affecting not only individuals and families but also employers as they struggle to balance the need for keeping employees healthy and running their businesses. If you've never been...
In case you haven't noticed, it's an election year. And it's not just candidates sounding off on the campaign trail. Passionate—even angry—political talk also can spill into the workplace, leaving hurt feelings and lost...
Mar 08, 2020 · Employment Law Letter
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Workplace discrimination based on hair? It may not be the first type of discrimination to come to mind as you strive to create fair and legally compliant workplaces, but hairstyle discrimination is beginning to get more...
Mar 08, 2020 · Employment Law Letter
· Great Lakes
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As readers of this column know, I like to have clear rules. Sometimes the rules don't make perfect sense to me, but that's OK—tell me what the rule is, and I will follow it. Just show me the path. Here's an example in...
This case presents a rather unusual situation in which out-of-state workers performed their jobs on a ship that was docked at Port Hueneme, near Santa Barbara, and provided services to oil platforms located in federal...
After Dynamex and Assembly Bill 5, the use of independent contractors has come under strict scrutiny in California. One of the situations that remains lawful involves business-to-business contracting arrangements—i.e...
Q Could you confirm if we are required to cover domestic partners on medical, dental, vision, life, or disability benefits? A Typically, spouses are afforded certain rights based on the marriage, including certain...
Feb 29, 2020 · Employment Law Letter
· Great Lakes
· Illinois
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· Mid-Atlantic
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· New England
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· Southeast
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When you sit down to write an employee handbook, you'll probably start by trying to think of all the subjects you need to cover. The obvious ones come easily. Of course, you must tell your employees about how they will...
Feb 29, 2020 · Employment Law Letter
· Great Lakes
· Illinois
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· Wisconsin
· Mid-Atlantic
· Delaware
· Maryland
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· Midsouth
· Kentucky
· North Carolina
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· 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
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· Oregon
· Washington
Q We have a nonexempt employee who sent an e-mail requesting time off in lieu of pay for overtime hours he already worked. Are we allowed to grant his request? Providing nonexempt employees with compensatory time in lieu...
Feb 29, 2020 · 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
State and local governments throughout the country have increasingly adopted laws and regulations that prohibit employers from inquiring about a job applicant's salary history during the interview process. Wisconsin has...
Feb 29, 2020 · 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
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit (whose rulings apply to all Mississippi employers) recently addressed a former employee's claim that his firing amounted to disability discrimination because the conduct...
Feb 29, 2020 · 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