Author: Tammy Binford

Potential deal in works to fill NLRB seats

by Tammy Binford With the clock ticking on the term of the only confirmed member of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), reports are circulating that President Barack Obama will send two new nominees to the Senate and abandon his two previous appointees, who face opposition because of their disputed recess appointment status. On July […]

Look out―here comes GINA!

by Craig L. Olivo and Hilary L. Moreira The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) prohibits employers from discriminating in any term or condition of employment based on employees’ or applicants’ “genetic information.” It also prohibits you from requesting, requiring, or purchasing genetic information (with narrow exceptions). GINA was passed by Congress out of concern that […]

Rhode Island, federal law changes affect how employers treat same-sex married couples

by Matthew H. Parker A series of amendments to Rhode Island law and the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 26 decision in United States v. Windsor have changed how most Rhode Island employers must treat same-sex married couples. Under the amendments, which go into effect on August 1, anyone who is eligible to marry in Rhode […]

Are you measuring the risk or the reward?

by Dan Oswald I read something the other day that asked, “Are you playing to win or not to lose?” It’s an interesting question. You may be wondering what the difference between the two exactly is. You may think that if both strategies are successful, the result is the same. But is it? Winning is […]

Louisiana’s scaled-down pay law goes into effect August 1

by David Theard Louisiana’s Equal Pay for Women Act (EPWA), which applies only to public-sector employers, goes into effect August 1. The new law affirms that paying unequal wages to public employees on the basis of sex is discriminatory and violates public policy. The original bill would have covered both public- and private-sector employees, but […]

Free labor or future liability? Unpaid internships in Canada also pose issues

By Julia Kennedy With each summer comes a wave of new graduates and returning students looking for ways to gain career experience. This summer, the media spotlight has been focused on the nature of unpaid internships in the United States and Canada. They are no longer limited to the not-for-profit sector. It’s probably a good […]

Sorting out rights for specific disabilities under the ADA

Employers are accustomed to the basics regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but the details can get tricky especially since employers must navigate the changes brought on by the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), which made it easier for individuals with a range of impairments to qualify for protection under the law. Recently, the Equal […]

What’s on the immigration horizon for employers?

by Elaine Young During the month of May, the Senate Judiciary Committee marked up the comprehensive immigration reform bill that the “Gang of Eight” proposed earlier in the year. In June, we saw the House of Representatives debate over what to add or take away from the bill. Here’s a quick Q&A on how some […]

Growing prevalence of severe food allergies may trigger ADA accommodations

by Holly Jones Late last year, a small private university in Massachusetts entered into a detailed settlement related to accommodating food allergies on campus. The settlement was the first of its type in higher education, but could it have broader implications for employers in general? University under fire for mandatory meal plan program In 2009, […]

OFCCP issues new compensation directive

by Melineh Verma The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) formally rescinded the Bush-era guidance on pay discrimination in February, criticizing the 2006 “Voluntary Guidelines and Compensation Standards” as improperly limiting its ability to conduct full investigations of compensation matters. The OFCCP replaced the 2006 voluntary guidelines with Directive […]