Author: Allison Williams, Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

West Virgina

Back to Basics: Was DMV Worker A ‘Qualified Individual’ Under WVHRA?

The West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals recently offered employers some guidance—and perhaps some encouragement—in determining whether an employee is a “qualified individual with a disability” and, more important, what’s “reasonable” when you’re accommodating an employee during the initial training period.

Caption this photo

Friday Funday: Caption This HR Photo

Welcome to our Friday Funday. Today we’d like you to provide a caption for this HR-related photo. Submit your caption in the comments section below (and make sure to include your Twitter handle). Winner will be featured on @HRDailyAdvisor. Follow to see if you win!

communication

Workplace Subjectivity: The Enemy Among Us

The cause of disagreements and the sense of not being treated fairly in the workplace come from subjective work practices, not from bad people.

Arizona

Does the ADA Protect a Nondisabled Employee Who Requests an Accommodation?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forbids discrimination in employment based on disability and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to their employees’ disabilities. The ADA also prohibits retaliation against those who seek reasonable accommodations or protection under the Act. But does the ADA protect an employee without a disability who requests an accommodation? The […]

Kentucky

Does Auto Parts Worker Still Have an FMLA Claim After Threatening Supervisor?

The 6th Circuit Court—which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee—recently heard an employee’s Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) “interference” claim. The employee allegedly threatened a supervisor who issued him a disciplinary write-up over an absence he thought was covered by the FMLA. Did the alleged misconduct halt the FMLA process?

Minnesota

Is Quitting to Care for Fiancée Covered Under Minnesota’s Unemployment Law?

Employees who quit their jobs to care for a member of their immediate family generally are qualified to receive unemployment benefits in Minnesota. However, the Minnesota Court of Appeals recently heard a claim in which a former employee was denied unemployment benefits due to the fact that “fiancée” doesn’t fall within the statutory definition of […]

Wyoming

Come Fly with Me: The FMLA and A Grounded Flight Attendant

There was a time in the middle of the last century when the lure of the skies drew young women to the “glamorous” job of being a flight attendant. Times have changed. Most people now understand that being a flight attendant is hard and is not made any easier by belligerent passengers and the stress […]