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Employment Law

Feel free to change job qualifications; courts won’t second-guess legit, new criteria

01/04/2019
If a previous job-holder applies for the newly constituted job after leaving it, he’s not automatically qualified because he did the job before.

Teens may have more time to sue for bias

01/04/2019
That means employers won’t get the case quickly dismissed if the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act 180-day deadline has passed.

Evangelical groups’ lawsuits seek to overturn LGBT rights

01/04/2019
Two Texas evangelical groups have filed lawsuits in federal and state court arguing that Christian-owned businesses have the right to fire or refuse to hire lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual applicants or employees.

Docking pay for snow-day absences: When is it legal?

01/04/2019
The snow’s coming down pretty good and an exempt employee calls to say she can’t make it in today because her car is stuck. Can you deduct a full day’s pay from her salary for that missed day? What if she’s non-exempt? What if you close work because of bad weather? Here’s guidance—and a handy flowchart—to help you make the call.

Track each supervisor’s disciplinary patterns

01/03/2019
Discrimination is often manifested by individual acts, not a systemic, organization-wide problem. That makes it important to track discipline by supervisor.

UPS delivers $4.9 million for religious bias

01/03/2019
Package delivery giant UPS has agreed to settle a long-running religious discrimination suit filed by the EEOC that alleged the company’s grooming rules discriminated against applicants and employees who wear beards to conform with their religious beliefs.

Tell bosses: No comments about health costs

01/03/2019
Make sure supervisors understand that it is never appropriate to question how much an employee’s health problems might cost the organization.

Make lactation space a priority for 2019

01/03/2019
Are you starting 2019 without a proper space where nursing employees can pump breast milk? Chances are good that affected employees have noticed—and aren’t pleased that you’re ignoring a requirement that has been on the books for almost a decade.

Minneapolis mayor vows to fire racist tree decorators

01/02/2019
Two unnamed police officers in Minneapolis’ 4th Precinct have been suspended and may face termination after hanging “racist” ornaments on a police station Christmas tree.

Requesting accommodation after discipline is too late

01/02/2019
Under the Minnesota Human Rights Act, disabled employees are entitled to accommodations. But timing is everything if a worker is disciplined before revealing a disability that may have contributed to work problems.