Most of us spend more time at work than we do at home – making it feel like a second home. That is why it is essential to have a healthy and happy working environment when possible. Sure, there are ups and downs in any job, but dealing with a hostile environment at work can […]
Top 8 FMLA FAQs (and Answers) You Should Know
Filing for leave under the Family & Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) can be intimidating, especially when you do not know what to expect and how it may affect your family – and your job. Not knowing if you will be eligible for FMLA leave, if you will receive adequate compensation or if you will have […]
6 Ways to Respond to Discrimination in the Workplace
Some forms of discrimination in the workplace can be very subtle and not always easily detectable. It’s much less difficult to identify discrimination if it comes in the form of threats and intimidation. However, practices such as disparate forms of discipline, not providing reasonable accommodations, and glass ceilings are all forms of workplace discrimination. Fortunately, […]
Chef John Besh Creates Culture of Sexual Harassment at Work
Inappropriate conduct can be pervasive in some work environments. One has to look no further than the recent string of sexual harassment allegations against New Orleans chef and restaurateur John Besh and some of his male employees and managers. According to The Times-Picayune, during the past several years, the John Besh Restaurant Group fostered a […]
Top 8 Examples of Pregnancy Discrimination in the Workplace
The 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) protects women from being fired or discriminated against on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions at workplaces with 15 or more employees. Although the PDA has been federal law for nearly 40 years, discrimination against pregnant women continues to be an issue in the workplace. In […]
The Hard Lesson Brown & Brown Learned about Pregnancy Discrimination
Under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA), “an employer cannot refuse to hire a woman because of her pregnancy-related condition as long as she is able to perform the primary functions of her job.” Women who are let go or not hired because they are or may become pregnant may lose not only valuable income but […]
5 Reasons You Were Fired for Your Age
Forty is the new 30, right? Not when it comes to hiring and firing. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) makes it illegal to fire or refuse to hire anyone 40 and over. Think it can’t happen to you or it’s something that only happens to people who are 65 and up? According to […]
5 FLSA Exemptions You Need to Know About
Last May, the Department of Labor issued a Final Rule which made significant changes to the Fair Labor Standards Act, including changes which would result in overtime pay for many employees who were not previously eligible for overtime pay. The changes were supposed to go into effect December 1, 2016. The Department of Labor gave […]
Will Sexual Orientation Bias Be Banned?
Does Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protect people who identify as gay, bisexual, or transgendered? That is the debate going on in Chicago right now. Several Seventh Circuit judges spoke out about the possibility that they could be ready to make their court the first in the nation to ban sexual orientation bias. […]
8 Things You Need to Know About the EEOC’s New Discrimination Guidance
The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has updated a 14-year-old section in its discrimination guidance. Guidance relative to protections on the basis of “nation of origin” were significantly revised and some of the provisions within this protected class may affect you and the conduct of your employer. Here’s what you need to know: […]
