It happens when an individual—a job applicant or current employee—is “regarded as having a disability” under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
I’ll give you an example. Continue reading
Last month, a federal appellate court concluded that training delays, a denied vacation request, and a transfer to a different shift that interfered with the plaintiff’s childcare arrangements could all support a discrimination claim—even though the plaintiff never lost his job.
It could be the new normal since the Supreme Court’s decision in Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, Missouri. Continue reading
At Noon ET, Amy Epstein Gluck, Michael Elkins, and I will present “What the Legal Landscape Looks Like for 2025.” Come hang with us for an hour while we cover key legal updates for 2025. Our friends at HR Learns, who are hosting this event, have pre-approved our sesh for HRCI/SHRM credit, although one of you will have to supply the Festivus Pole.
Did I mention it’s free? The other HR Festivus sessions, which kick off at 11:30 a.m., are also free. You can read the full agenda here. Although I’m not holding out for Jake Paul/Mike Tyson money, watching me compete in the feats of strength will cost you. Ah, who am I kidding? HR would spit out their coffee, and Amy would beat me like Paul did Tyson.
You can register here if you’d like to attend any or all of HR Festivus, the HR holiday you didn’t know you needed.
Last year, several media outlets reported about a lawsuit that a clothing designer who worked for Lizzo and her touring company had asserted against them and another individual. That lawsuit included several claims under state law for discrimination, retaliation, and assault, among others.
On paper, it didn’t sound good for the defendants. Continue reading
Suppose your company hires a black man only to fire him less than a year later. If the man claims that his race motivated the termination decisions, would arguing that the same person made both employment decisions create a viable defense? Continue reading
A federal appellate court recently ruled that a university did not have to accommodate the disability of a professor seeking tenure by relaxing the tenure requirements or giving her a second chance to satisfy them.
It’s a reminder that employers can require individuals to perform the essential functions of the job and can refuse to promote (or hire) individuals who cannot meet the position’s requirements.
Is this post safe for work? Yes, it is. Did I write it in Incognito mode, just in case? Yes, I did.
In the wake of election results earlier this month that will result in a Republican president and a Republican-controlled Congress in 2025, it’s reasonable to expect some changes in employment law. Continue reading
Employers don’t have crystal balls.
Last week, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed the well-settled rule that when one coworker accuses another of creating a hostile work environment, that claim will fail ten times out of ten unless the employer knew or should have known about the harassment but failed to take prompt and adequate remedial action. It’s otherwise known as respondeat superior liability.
As a thank you to the many readers who provided me with stellar Dallas-area BBQ recommendations, like the one featured above from Hutchins BBQ in McKinney, I’m sharing a tool that the U.S. Department of Labor recently announced to provide workers with disabilities and employers ideas for workplace accommodations. Continue reading
The Employer Handbook Blog