Last month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) distributed a memorandum reinforcing the agency’s position that discrimination based on sexual orientation, transgender status, and gender identity violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). Title VII prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Title Read more
Georgia’s Governor Nathan Deal has signed an executive order on February 23, 2015, implementing a “ban the box” hiring policy. Similar to the policies adopted by other states across the country, Georgia’s policy was implemented to provide individuals with a criminal record a fair chance to apply to job positions. Under the policy, job applicants Read more
On February 26, the US Department of Labor (DOL) Women’s Bureau (WB) published a Notice proposing to conduct a survey about working women to identify employment issues and challenges currently facing women, including their perceptions on career choice and overall equity in the workplace, and also to explore the factors that contribute to women leaving Read more
To ensure and promote workplace safety, the Maine Department of Labor is offering once again free safety classes in the month of March. The courses will be held at the SafetyWorks! Training Institution in Augusta. According to SafetyWorks! the program trains approximately 8,000 individuals annually. The program which provides consultation and enforcement services, is offering Read more
Three New Mexico communities are increasing their minimum wage rates. Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Bernalillo each tie the minimum wage rate in their jurisdictions to increases in the cost of living from the previous year, as measured by the Consumer Price Index. Albuquerque Albuquerque’s Minimum Wage rate increased to $8.75 per hour effective January 1, Read more
In Gibbs v. City of New York, the New York Federal Court has found that the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require employers to pay their employees for attending mandatory alcohol counseling and treatment sessions to keep their jobs. The case involved two New York Police Department employees that sued the police department Read more
Today the U.S. Department of Labor issued a Final Rule extending the Family and Medical Leave Act’s (FMLA) protections to married same-sex couples regardless of whether the state they live in recognizes their union. This rule will ensure that spouses in same-sex marriages have the same ability as all spouses to fully exercise their FMLA Read more
Like several cities across the country, Philadelphia is the latest city to pass a paid sick leave bill. Philadelphia’s mayor Michael Nutter signed into law, the Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces Ordinance on February 12, 2015. The bill becomes effective May 13, 2015. Under the Ordinance, employees employed by an employer who work within the Read more
Cal/OSHA regulations for workplace violence prevention in hospital and healthcare settings have been anticipated since the 2014 passage of CA SB 1299. That bill requires Cal/OSHA to adopt standards by January 1, 2016 that require hospitals to establish workplace violence prevention plans. Cal/OSHA’s recently released draft regulation goes beyond requiring workplace violence prevention plans in Read more
Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor has recently revised its workers’ compensation notice posting. By law, all Pennsylvania employers are required to post this notice (LIBC-500) in a prominent and easily accessible location in the workplace. The posting includes the name, address and telephone number of the insurer or other appropriate party to contact regarding workers’ compensation Read more
