The Employer Handbook Blog

Did this company retaliate or simply exercise its First Amendment right (to BLAST its employee on Facebook)?

May 24, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

“An employer’s free speech right to comment upon matters that affect the business is firmly established,” noted a Vermont federal judge earlier this month. “But when such commentary is a threat of retaliation … it is without the protection of the First Amendment.”

That’s fancy speak for employers can’t use social media to retaliate against employees, current or former. Continue reading

Various employer associations have sued to block the DOL’s new overtime rule

May 23, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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Yesterday, several employer groups and associations filed a federal lawsuit in the same court that, in 2017, stymied the U.S. Department of Labor‘s efforts to change the overtime rules by raising the minimum salary level needed to be exempt from receiving overtime. As I’ll explain below, the 2024 plaintiffs have also raised the same arguments that worked seven years ago.

It’s déjà vu all over again. Continue reading

If your company handles military leave for employees this way, you may be doing it all WRONG

May 22, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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Yesterday, a federal appellate court issued a precedential opinion clarifying when employers must pay employees and provide certain benefits while they take short-term military leave under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (“USERRA”).

Supervisors playing doctor — unless they’re doctors — is a bad idea

May 21, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently issued two press releases: one announcing a disability discrimination lawsuit and another about a recent settlement of age and disability discrimination claims. Both involve supervisors who allegedly thought they knew more than medical professionals.

They were wrong. Continue reading

Can a single incident that the plaintiff doesn’t witness create a hostile work environment?

May 20, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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A single incident, like a supervisor calling a black employee the “n” word, may be enough to create a hostile work environment. But what if the victim doesn’t witness it? Continue reading

Let’s update you on some recent NJ employment law developments

May 17, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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The New Jersey Supreme Court has weighed in not once but twice this month on important employment law issues. So, if you operate a business in the Garden State, I’ll bring you up to speed on that, plus some new pending legislation.

(For the rest of you, have a nice weekend, and maybe add some pork roll or Taylor Ham to your breakfast sandwich.) Continue reading

Here’s why the Chamber of Commerce believes the FTC’s non-compete rule is unlawful

May 16, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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Earlier this week, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told a Texas federal judge to block the Federal Trade Commission’s final Noncompete Rule, which would impose a comprehensive ban on new noncompetes with all workers, including senior executives. Here is a link to the 40-page brief.

But I’ll break it down for you in about 400 words. Continue reading

Retaliation can come in all shapes and sizes

May 15, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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Earlier this month, a federal appellate court addressed a few situations involving retaliation claims in the workplace in which parties (and sometimes courts) may misapply the law, namely, Title VII of the Civil Rights of 1964.

So, let’s clear this up. Continue reading

Court: Denying coverage for gender-affirming care to transgender employees is sex discrimination

May 14, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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If your business provides a self-funded health insurance plan to its employees, that health plan covers “medically necessary” services, and you’re not keen on defending sex discrimination claims, then keep reading. Continue reading

Hey, HR! Avoid the same mistake that this HR Department allegedly made when responding to an employee’s complaint.

May 13, 2024 | by Eric B. Meyer

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An employer recently learned the hard way that a proper response to an employee’s complaint of harassment involves more than simply investigating it.

I’ll explain. Continue reading