Archive for November 2020
‘Clear’ Circuit Split on Sexual Harassment Requires SCOTUS Review, Employee Says
The U.S. Supreme Court should weigh in on a Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 sexual harassment standard and resolve a “clear and important” circuit split, an employee argued in a Nov. 12 filing (Paskert v. Kemna-ASA Auto Plaza, Inc., No. 18-3623). The petition, originally filed in July, challenged an 8th U.S. Circuit Court…
Read MoreHow Companies Can Help Veterans Reach High-Tech Goals
After leaving the military, joining the workforce is an important part of the transition to civilian life for veterans. Among national economic policy issues, the majority (95%) of veterans surveyed supported investments in skills and technical training, according to a 2019 report by ALG Research, on behalf of the National Skills Coalition. The U.S. Department…
Read MoreDOL Clarifies When Continuing Education and Travel Time Are Compensable
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has clarified the rules on when time spent fulfilling continuing-education requirements must be compensated under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in a recent opinion letter. In a separate opinion letter, the DOL explained when the travel time of nonexempt foremen and laborers is compensable. A main takeaway from…
Read MoreWorkplace Safety During the Pandemic: What Employers May Not Know About Their OSHA Obligations
Whether they have remained open during the COVID-19 pandemic or sought to reopen after pandemic-related closures, employers have had to monitor the constantly evolving and often confusing guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal and state entities. OSHA has recently fined numerous…
Read MoreAddressing and Preventing Inappropriate ‘Shop Talk’
In a manufacturing environment, employees often work near each other, and the level of noise can cause conversations to go unheard by others not in the immediate vicinity. Like the quintessential example of “locker room talk,” “shop talk” in a manufacturing environment can walk a fine line between employee banter and inappropriate, or, in extreme…
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