EEOC
EEOC Announces Enforcement Priorities for 2023-2027
On Tuesday January 10, 2023, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) publicly released its Draft Strategic Enforcement Plan (“SEP”) for fiscal years 2023-2027. The SEP describes the EEOC’s top enforcement priorities, making it critical information for employers around the country. The Draft SEP sets out the EEOC’s six subject matter priorities for fiscal years 2023-2027:…
Read MoreWhy Do You Need a Handbook Disclaimer and What Should Be In It Anyway?
If you’re like most employers right now, you’re in the process of reviewing your Employee Handbook to see if it needs to be updated. A recent Alabama state court decision offers valuable lessons to all employers with employee handbooks (not just those in Alabama) on the importance of a properly drafted handbook disclaimer. Now, in…
Read MoreHow to Navigate a Reduction in Force
Over the course of your business life, there may come a time when you are faced with the difficult but necessary decision to lay off some employees as part of a reduction in force or other restructuring initiative at one or more of your locations. There are a wide array of laws that may impact…
Read MoreThe EEOC Proposes Detailed New Enforcement Priorities For 2023-2027
On Tuesday, January 10, the EEOC released for public comment its draft 2023-2027 Strategic Enforcement Plan, or “SEP” (available here)—a document that will guide the Commission’s enforcement priorities for the next five years. The EEOC’s previously announced Strategic Plan described “how” it would pursue its enforcement goals. The Strategic Enforcement Plan, on the other hand,…
Read MoreRetaliation Mistake Leads to a Costly Payout
Race discrimination is bad enough, but an Oklahoma-based company recently learned the hard way that adding a retaliation mistake on top of that can lead to hefty settlements. American Piping Inspection, Inc. has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle a race-based discrimination and retaliation lawsuit filed by the EEOC on behalf of a Black employee…
Read MoreAppellate Court Addresses How Much Information Employee Must Submit to Support an Accommodation Request
One of the many difficult issues employers face under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is determining what information a disabled employee must provide to an employer to trigger the employer’s duty to accommodate a disability. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit addressed that question for the first time in Owens v.…
Read MoreWhen Is the Accommodation Duty Triggered?
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit addressed this question under the Rehabilitation Act (which applies to federal agencies, contractors and subcontractors, but applies the same standards of analysis as the Americans with Disabilities Act), stating, “The type and extent of information that an employee must provide will depend, of course, on the…
Read MoreShould Your Workplace Require Flu Shots?
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported the start of the most severe flu season in over a decade, leading employers of all types to decide whether they should mandate flu shots for their workforce. The flu season typically runs between October and May with a peak in January and February,…
Read More‘Tis the Season for Employers to Review Their Employee Handbooks
With the holiday season fast approaching, employers must plan and prepare for the general revelry that accompanies this time of year. Holiday parties, which often involve the consumption of alcohol and frequently occur outside of the physical workplace, present distinct risks for employers. To maintain a safe, respectful, and healthy work environment, employers should consider…
Read MoreA Worrying Surveillance Trend for Remote Workers
WORK PRODUCTIVITY TRACKING: EMPLOYERS FACE SCRUTINY WITHOUT TRANSPARENT POLICIES When the pandemic ushered in a new era of remote work possibilities and capabilities, it simultaneously prompted an increase in the amount of remote workers juggling multiple jobs with one being full-time. This trend, known as “overemployment,” has been helpful for some workers. However, for some…
Read More