Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.
The current National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) under President Joe Biden has been heavily involved in moving forward the administration’s prolabor goals. But as the Biden administration draws to a close, the Board faces a series of challenges. Board Abandons Joint Employer Regulations The NLRB’s expansive joint employer rule, issued in October 2023, faces an […]
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a ruling on August 23, 2024, vacating a 2021 Final Rule of the Department of Labor (DOL) which limited the circumstances under which employers can claim a “tip credit” for “tipped employees” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This decision is likely one […]
With its 2024 Loper Bright decision, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the long-standing doctrine of Chevron deference, under which courts deferred to federal agencies’ interpretation of a statute when the text was ambiguous. The decision is already affecting numerous federal regulations. 5th Circuit Considering Whether to Remand Trump OT Case The U.S. 5th Circuit Court […]
The recent Supreme Court decisions eliminating Chevron deference and granting presidents all-but blanket immunity have prompted responses from Congress, both to support and invalidate the rulings. No Kings Act In response to the High Court’s presidential immunity ruling, over 30 Democratic Senators joined Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and introduced a bill that would overturn […]
Question: How frequently can a nursing mother take breaks under the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers (PUMP) Act? For example, although the law requires “reasonable break time,” what if an employee needs to pump every 30 minutes or every hour? Answer: It depends. The PUMP Act requires employers to provide covered employees “reasonable break […]
As we find ourselves in the last quarter of 2024, we felt it was right to go back to the basics for those navigating the complex landscape of employment law. Understanding these laws helps to protect your business from legal disputes and fosters a positive environment for employees while ensuring compliance and a fair and […]
Once upon a time, the employee’s workplace was entirely separate from their private life. No more. The two now bleed together, resulting in legal trouble for employers. Male Manager Targets a Female Colleague Lindsay Okonowsky worked as the sole staff psychologist at a federal prison on the West Coast. Lieutenant Steven Hellman supervised the prison […]
A recent Ninth Circuit decision clarifies employers’ obligations to address hostile work environment complaints arising out of employees’ off-premises social media activity. In Okonowsky v. Garland, the Ninth Circuit overturned a Title VII sexually hostile environment summary judgment ruling, finding that the court had erred by considering only some of the evidence and by applying incorrect […]
One of the hardest things for employers is being accused of wrongdoing and, rather than reacting defensively, flipping it to their advantage. For an example of how to do so, let’s look to the University of Houston (UH) and how it handled a discrimination complaint from a disappointed professorship applicant. Professors Squabbling Kate Kingsbury applied […]
Ever hear the expression “loose lips sink ships”? It comes from WWII and was plastered on posters in port cities, warning that gabbing about the sailing times of vessels carrying materials and soldiers would endanger their safe sailing. I thought it fit a very recent case from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, the […]