Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The opioid epidemic is affecting workplaces across the country. Because opioids can be lawfully prescribed (but are increasingly abused), employers must tread carefully when taking adverse action against opioid users to avoid running afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “Recovery-friendly” workplaces may provide an alternative solution to help combat the crisis, but that […]
Most employers and HR professionals are familiar with the basics of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including the workplace, and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for disabled individuals.
In an article for ProPublica by Peter Gosselin and Ariana Tobin, the authors use IBM as a case study for the dangers of organizations leaving themselves open to claims of age discrimination. IBM was one of the original “tech” companies—so original that it seems old school compared with names like Facebook, Amazon, and even Microsoft.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee—recently heard a claim from an in-house lawyer who sued her employer for refusing to provide the accommodation she requested as a result of pregnancy-related complications.
Mariah Carey, known as an iconic singer-songwriter and a dramatic diva, disclosed to People magazine last week that she has bipolar disorder. Although she was first diagnosed in 2001, Carey says she finally sought treatment recently after “the hardest couple of years [she’s] been through.” (Among her recent personal and professional issues, you may recall […]
It’s Monday morning, seven inches of snow have accumulated outside and the weatherman predicts another five to come. Do you shut down your business operations or require your employees to report to work? For many HR professionals, the above hypothetical has become a reality as the past several months brought snowstorms in the Midwest, nor’easters […]
Reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can be a difficult area for employers to navigate. A recent case from the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—provides a helpful example of how you should clearly spell out job requirements and qualifications so you can better respond to potential […]
A federal court in Louisville, Kentucky recently changed its mind and reinstated claims that had previously been dismissed. The court found an employee’s complaint contained sufficient allegations of discrimination based on her disability and her use of medical leave to move forward toward trial.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employer-required medical exams must be “job-related and consistent with business necessity.” That test can be difficult to apply when you’re dealing with mental or psychiatric examinations. A recent decision from the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—helps clarify when you may require such […]
Massachusetts employers will face new obligations regarding pregnant women and new mothers when the state’s new Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) takes effect on April 1.