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The North Pole and Santa Claus’s motion to dismiss

The North Pole and Santa Claus, by counsel, respectfully ask the court to dismiss all claims brought against them by P.U. Scrooge pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) because all such claims are barred by the Christmas Anticipation...

Dec 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Mid-Atlantic · Delaware · Maryland · New Jersey · Pennsylvania · Virginia · Midsouth · Kentucky · North Carolina · South Carolina · Tennessee · West Virginia · Midwest · Arkansas · Kansas · Missouri · Oklahoma · 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

New employer cannot force its way into arbitration

Arbitration procedure can be tricky enough when dealing with only one employee. It gets that much harder when a subsequent employer tries to extend the employees’ arbitration agreement so that it covers claims against a...

Nov 27, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · California

Court reduces attorneys’ fees due to lawyer incivility

In employment cases, attorneys’ fees are often the largest part of a recovery. This was true in a recent California Court of Appeal case, although the result would have been twice as bad were it not for a reduction in...

Nov 13, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · California

Accommodating a request for worship space in the workplace

Q: Do employers need to provide a space for employees to worship and/or pray in the office? The short answer is: Maybe. You must reasonably accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious, ethical, or moral beliefs or...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Mountain West · Colorado · Idaho · Montana · New Mexico · Utah · Wyoming

A reminder for employers: Review your separation agreements

Companies routinely use separation agreements with departing employees. Through those agreements, the employee receives some type of separation benefit (typically a payment or severance) in exchange for waiving and...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Mountain West · Colorado · Idaho · Montana · New Mexico · Utah · Wyoming

Paid sick leave initiative gaining traction

As the 2024 elections approach, several ballot initiatives are gaining momentum in Nebraska, with one particular initiative standing out—Paid Sick Leave for Nebraskans. This initiative, if passed by the majority of...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Upper Midwest · Nebraska

Using social media to screen job candidates? Know the legal, ethical concerns

Checking job candidates’ social media posts has become common practice. Even if an employer enlists a separate company to conduct a formal background check, a hiring manager or an HR professional may take a quick look at...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · California · New York · 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

Facing the storm: Natural disasters trigger need for employer preparation

Extreme natural disasters—fires, floods, hurricanes, and more—increasingly dominate news coverage. But the full effect of such tragedies outlasts the headlines. And it’s not just fires and storms. Extreme heat events...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · California · New York · 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

Importance of evaluating your employees—The good and the bad

As we approach the end of another year, some of you may be gearing up for the year-end performance evaluation season. Conducting proper performance evaluations can play a critical role in your organization’s ability to...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · California · Great Lakes · Illinois · Indiana · Michigan · Ohio · Wisconsin · Midsouth · Kentucky · North Carolina · South Carolina · Tennessee · West Virginia · 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 · West · Alaska · Arizona · Hawaii · Nevada · Oregon · Washington

Proposed harassment guidance broadens employers’ obligations under EEO law

On October 2, 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published in the Federal Register its notice of proposed guidance on “Enforcement Guidance of Harassment in the Workplace.” The guidance...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · California · New York · 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

Religious accommodations require favored treatment, not mere neutrality

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans (which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) recently issued a decision striking down a test it has used for many years to analyze the undue hardship of religious...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Southeast · Alabama · Florida · Georgia · Louisiana · Mississippi

Employers: Take care when recovering overpayments, debt from employees

There are three broad categories of deductions employers make from employee paychecks. The first, legally required deductions, comes in the form of income tax and wage garnishments. The second, deductions on employees’...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · California · 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 · Southeast · Alabama · Florida · Georgia · Louisiana · Mississippi · Upper Midwest · Iowa · Minnesota · Nebraska · North Dakota · South Dakota · West · Alaska · Arizona · Hawaii · Nevada · Oregon · Washington

Disability cases can get really technical

Permission to bring service animals to the workplace is becoming a more common experience. However, as a recent decision of the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals demonstrates, there isn’t a blanket requirement that...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Midwest · Arkansas · Kansas · Missouri · Oklahoma · Upper Midwest · Iowa · Minnesota · Nebraska · North Dakota · South Dakota