Pregnancy Discrimination Claims Require Adverse Action
By Peyton S. Irby, Jr., JD A recent case from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas—involved multiple claims by a pregnant employee.
Author: Guest Columnist
FMLA And ADA: When Are Independent Medical Examinations OK?
Both the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) often apply to employees who are seriously ill or injured. When this happens, employers may be required to grant leave and to accommodate the employee under both the FMLA and the ADA. This article series examines similarities and differences between […]
Ask the Expert: What Are Our Options Once Employee Exhausts FMLA?
We have an employee who has been using intermittent leave to care for a child with a medical condition. She will run out of FMLA soon, yet her son’s situation is still the same/will require her to take time off. She is a good, dependable employee. What are our options to further help or accommodate her […]
Bad Company: They All Know Your Name
A recent survey states that the majority of Americans would not want to work at a company if that company has a bad reputation. Interestingly, nearly 20% more women would refuse to work at such a job than men! According to a recent survey by CR Magazine and Cielo Talent, 86% of America’s females do […]
Build a Successful Active Threat Plan
Violence in the workplace isn’t pleasant to think about, but it’s important for employers to plan for it. We have advice for building an effective “active threat” plan from security expert Jay Hart. Hart, director of Force Training Institute, leads a team of first responders, antiterrorism, cybersecurity, defensive tactics, and crisis management specialists with vast […]
Men More Likely to Utilize Some Work/Life Benefits
Contrary to popular belief, work-life balance and work flexibility issues aren’t primarily women’s issues. In fact, for certain benefits, it is men who use them more frequently and are more likely to say that their work is interrupted for personal or family reasons, according to results of a new survey.
Ask the Expert: OK to Waive Benefits Waiting Period for New Hire?
As part of the negotiations for a new hire’s total compensation package, the candidate has asked the company to waive the health benefits eligibility period and start benefits immediately. Can the company agree to this for some new hires and not others? Would this put the company in jeopardy of potential discrimination claims?
The Straphanger’s Special: New Benefit for NYC Commuters
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has signed into law the Affordable Transit Act, which requires New York City companies with 20 or more full-time employees to offer pretax transit benefits. The bill encourages employers to take advantage of an existing federal tax benefit, which already allows businesses to offer its workers $130 a […]
New ACA Information Center for Applicable Large Employers
Two provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that apply only to applicable large employers (ALEs) are now in effect: the employer shared responsibility provision and the employer information reporting provision for offers of minimum essential coverage.
Take a Proactive Approach to Workplace Mental Health
Fair warning: this may be an uncomfortable topic. However, it is important to bring it to light. Mental illness has touched everyone on some level, and it reaches into the workplace, too. Because May is Mental Health Awareness month, there is no time like the present to make this subject a priority at your place […]