Tag: breaks

Beyond maternity leave: employers’ duties to returning mothers

by Michelle Dougherty With the recent emphasis on the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA)  regarding employers’ affirmative duties to pregnant employees, it is important for employers to remember that they also have obligations when employees return to work after childbirth. Specifically, under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employers have […]

Gaga over the FLSA monster

by Boyd Byers Pop diva Lady Gaga affectionately refers to her fans as “little monsters.” But she recently became acquainted with a big monster― the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Jennifer O’Neill, who worked as Gaga’s personal assistant, sued the pop star’s company, Mermaid Touring, Inc., for FLSA violations. She says she was continuously on […]

Turn back the clock

Last week, I had occasion to return to Chicago, which was my stomping grounds for nearly a decade in the 1990s and early 2000s. While I was there, I spent time with a former colleague, reminiscing about the good old days. We were both still in our 20s when we began working together nearly 20 […]

Praying in the Workplace

A recent case from the federal trial court in Gulfport, Mississippi, dealt with a certified nursing assistant (CNA) who claimed she was discriminated against based on religion. She alleged that she was subjected to a hostile work environment and fired for reporting religious harassment. The court discussed some interesting points in its decision. Facts Shira […]

Did HP’s Board Make the Right Call?

When a colleague suggested I write about Hewlett Packard’s firing of CEO Mark Hurd, I wasn’t sure there was anything of value to say about this situation. But on further reflection I think there is a clear lesson in all of this. You might recall that on August 6, Hurd resigned under pressure from HP’s […]

Keeping workers safe in hot weather

Keep Workers Safe During Hot Weather

Summer is in full swing so it’s time to make sure employees stay safe in the hot weather. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t have a specific standard for addressing heat stress. However, the agency has previously issued citations to employers that have allowed employees to be exposed to a risk of serious […]