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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

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 · West · Alaska · Arizona · Hawaii · Nevada · Oregon · Washington

Change to Maryland’s cannabis laws raises questions for employers

As of July 1st, Maryland law now permits the possession and use of small amounts of marijuana. Unlike some other jurisdictions that have decriminalized marijuana possession, Maryland’s new statute doesn’t directly...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Mid-Atlantic · Delaware · Maryland · New Jersey · Pennsylvania · Virginia

DOL investigation of Pennsylvania diner results in $1.3M fine for FLSA violations

On September 14, 2023, the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a $1.3M verdict against a Pennsylvania diner that failed to pay its employees proper tips or overtime as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Mid-Atlantic · Delaware · Maryland · New Jersey · Pennsylvania · Virginia

In major new decision, NLRB authorizes union recognition without election

On August 25, the National Labor Relations Board (the Board) issued a monumental decision in Cemex Construction Materials Pacific, LLC, enacting a new framework for unions to gain recognition without a formal...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Great Lakes · Illinois · Indiana · Michigan · Ohio · Wisconsin · Midsouth · Kentucky · North Carolina · South Carolina · Tennessee · West Virginia · Midwest · Arkansas · Kansas · Missouri · Oklahoma

For the wages of sin is . . . $145,000?

A California employer recently learned the hard way that a competent legal strategy for defending against a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) claim shouldn’t include hiring a supposed priest to dupe employees. And, yes...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Great Lakes · Illinois · Indiana · Michigan · Ohio · Wisconsin · Midsouth · Kentucky · North Carolina · South Carolina · Tennessee · West Virginia · Midwest · Arkansas · Kansas · Missouri · Oklahoma · Upper Midwest · Iowa · Minnesota · Nebraska · North Dakota · South Dakota

Retaliation: The most successful discrimination claim

A retaliation claim can be successful even when the original discrimination claim fails to establish a violation of law. The same laws—federal and typically state laws—that prohibit discrimination based on race, color...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · California · 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

Mental injury not compensable under Worker’s Compensation Act

In a recent case before a state appeals court, the Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Commission (LIRC) appealed a circuit court ruling, reversing its determination that an employee hadn’t suffered a mental injury...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Great Lakes · Illinois · Indiana · Michigan · Ohio · Wisconsin

Winds of change in Michigan: Pending statutory changes and proposals

As a result of the 2022 election, the Democratic party took control of the Michigan House and Senate. This, combined with a sitting Democratic governor, set the stage for employee-friendly changes and proposals in...

Nov 01, 2023 · Employment Law Letter · Great Lakes · Illinois · Indiana · Michigan · Ohio · Wisconsin