Author: Federal Employment Law Insider

Will 2013 see the beginning of the ENDA?

by Judith E. Kramer June was Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month, and President Barack Obama marked the occasion by reaffirming his continued support of  “a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act” (ENDA).  During the month, ENDA picked up additional support in the U.S. Senate as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada), Senator Heidi Heitkamp […]

Cooperation is crucial—but not always easy

by Dan Oswald Webster’s defines cooperate as “to act or work with another or others . . . to associate with another or others for mutual benefit.” It sounds simple enough, but in practice it’s not. Nothing is more important in an organization than interdepartmental cooperation, yet it’s so difficult to achieve. Why is that? […]

Deen’s downfall doesn’t atone for injustices of the past

by John Phillips In the movie 42 when the Dodgers played the Redlegs in Cincinnati for the first time after Jackie Robinson had become a Dodger, the Reds’ fans greeted the Dodgers with considerable vitriol—like they were greeted at every ballpark where they played during Robinson’s rookie year. The Dodgers took the field, and the […]

Georgia employers face July 1 E-Verify mandate

by Geetha Adinata Yet another domino has fallen in the changing landscape of Georgia immigration law. Beginning today, all Georgia employers with more than 10 employees (as of January 1, 2013) must use the federal E-Verify system to ensure employees are authorized to work in the United States. E-Verify checks employees’ work authorization through Department […]

Supreme Court rejects random alcohol testing policy in dangerous workplace

By Kyla Stott-Jess, Katie Clayton, and Hannah Roskey Canada’s highest court has ruled that random drug and alcohol testing in the workplace violates privacy rights. In Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, Local 30 v. Irving Pulp & Paper Ltd., the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) considered the validity of a random alcohol testing […]

Senate immigration vote means employers need to stay tuned

The Senate’s passage of an immigration reform bill gives employers much to think about, but it’s hardly the last word on the issue. The House has been considering immigration measures of its own and is expected to tackle reform in a completely different way after the July 4 holiday. The Senate passed a comprehensive reform […]

Same-sex partners of state employees will keep benefits

by Dinita L. James In a bit of housecleaning after its landmark rulings in two same-sex marriage cases on Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Thursday not to hear an Arizona case that was one of 10 others that had been awaiting action raising similar issues. The Court’s action is significant to employees of state […]

Tennessee’s “guns in trunks” law takes effect July 1

by Kara E. Shea The Tennessee law giving handgun carry permit holders the right to transport and store firearms and/or ammunition in their vehicles parked in an employer’s parking lot goes into effect July 1. With the enforcement deadline at hand, employers understandably want to know whether they need to alter current “no weapons” policies […]

Some interesting lessons from the U.S. Supreme Court

by Mark I. Schickman History will remember June 26’s U.S. Supreme Court decisions as the landmark cases supporting same-sex marriage, a coupling that will become commonplace in a decade or two. But these decisions and the affirmative action, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and voting rights cases that preceded them the […]

Illinois court makes noncompete agreements harder to enforce

by Steven L. Brenneman In a decision handed down June 24, the Illinois Appellate Court, First District, found a restrictive covenant unenforceable because of a lack of adequate consideration (something given in return for the employee’s agreement not to compete). The court ruled there must be at least two years of continued employment to constitute […]