• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Employment Law

Compliance perspectives for employers in the food manufacturing industry

05/17/2023
The food manufacturing industry performs an essential function—making sure the country’s population has access to safe and plentiful food at all times. Much like mail delivery, neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night should prevent the stocking of grocery shelves.

‘Other duties’ may be essential under ADA

05/15/2023
Can “other duties as assigned” be considered essential tasks when it comes to setting ADA accommodations? That’s an important question, because the ADA only protects employees capable of performing the essential functions of their jobs.

Amazon delivery drivers in California are first to unionize

05/15/2023
Drivers who deliver Amazon packages in Southern California have voted to join the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union. The union contract will bring driver wages to $30 per hour by September.

Download brand-new FMLA poster

05/15/2023
The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has released a new poster informing employees of their FMLA rights. The new poster replaces a version last updated in 2016.

Beware dress codes with gender-specific rules

05/15/2023
If your dress and grooming code includes gender-specific requirements, you could be courting a sex-discrimination lawsuit.

NLRB: Employers can’t ban racial justice discussions in the workplace

05/12/2023
If your organization is trying to diversify its workforce with a diversity, equity and inclusion initiative and operates in multiple states, you know how hard it is to do the right thing. Some states welcome your efforts. Others block certain training programs or some theories from being taught. Now the National Labor Relations Board has entered the fray.

Honoring pronoun and gendering preferences proves complicated

05/12/2023
Here’s a recent case showing that the EEOC is moving full speed ahead with test case litigation designed to make clear that harassment based on preferred pronouns and gender identity violates Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination.

Manage the balancing act when accommodating employees’ religious beliefs

05/08/2023
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of religion and requires employers to reasonably accommodate an employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs and practices, can sometimes clash with employers’ legitimate business needs and may cause employee-relations problems. Here’s how employers can balance their own needs with their duty to accommodate workers’ religious beliefs and practices.

Avoid surprise OT claims with this simple policy

05/08/2023
The Fair Labor Standards Act imposes stiff penalties on employers that cheat employees out of overtime pay. They must pay double what they should have paid in the first place. But there’s a simple way to avoid that liability: Have a policy that makes it easy for employees to report being underpaid. Then promptly investigate if someone reports not receiving the overtime pay they were expecting.

How HR should use AI: NYC law offers practical guidance

05/08/2023
More and more employers are using artificial intelligence software to improve HR processes such as recruitment, hiring and onboarding. Already, several states and cities have passed laws dictating how AI can and cannot be deployed, including in the HR field.