In a landmark ruling, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has held in the case of Villarreal v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. that the “disparate impact” provision of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) applies only to employees, not to job applicants. The ADEA prohibits employment discrimination against those who are aged 40 years Read more
Last January 1, Illinois’ Pregnancy Accommodation Act, also known as the “Pregnancy Fairness Act”, went into effect protecting pregnant workers from employment discrimination and requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees, and job applicants, for conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or medical or common conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth. New administrative rules implementing Read more
For the first time since 2012, British Columbia, Canada, will raise its general minimum wage rate from $10.25 per hour to $10.45 per hour effective September 15, 2015. The Liquor server minimum wage rate, currently $9.00 per hour, will also increase on September 15 to $9.20 per hour. The September minimum wage rates are included Read more
The North Dakota Department of Labor and Human Rights has released a new Minimum Wage and Work Conditions Summary posting. During North Dakota’s 2015 legislative session, several labor laws were passed, including two laws that caused major revisions on the Minimum Wage and Work Conditions Summary posting. The revised posting includes a new list of Read more
On July 2, 2015, Rhode Island passed Bill H 5674, requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or a related condition. Accommodations may include: More frequent or longer breaks, Time off to recover from childbirth, Acquisition or modification of equipment for sitting, Temporary transfers to less strenuous Read more
The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) protects employees from discrimination on the basis of an employee’s race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, or military and veteran status. Further, the law prohibits retaliation against Read more
On May 21, 2015, Governor Rick Scott signed Bill 982 into a law, making it unlawful for employers to discriminate against individuals on the basis of pregnancy. Effective July 1, 2015, employers cannot discharge, refuse to hire, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of Read more
The topic of gender identity has been the subject of both media and legislative attention recently. In the workplace, discrimination is a major contributor to the especially high rates of unemployment and underemployment faced by transgender people. These workers are often fired, paid less or harassed because of who they are. So it is not Read more
