Tag: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Discrimination Against Breastfeeding Employee Leads to Jury Verdict

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), federal law required employers with more than 50 employees to provide breastfeeding employees a private location, other than a toilet stall, where they can express breast milk in privacy. And, of course, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) has prohibited discrimination “on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, […]

5 reasonable accommodation pitfalls to avoid

by Brent E. Siler Litigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been on the rise in recent years and will likely continue to increase. One area of ADA compliance fueling the increase is the duty to reasonably accommodate employees’ disabilities. While most employers are aware they have a duty to accommodate the disabilities […]

Top 10 employer mistakes in accommodating disabled employees

by Matthew A. Goodin Even experienced HR professionals have a difficult time with requests for reasonable accommodation from disabled employees. This process is even trickier if the employee needs a leave of absence as an accommodation because of the intersection of different laws that govern leaves of absence. Below are some of the most common […]

HR Issues that Arise when Natural Disasters Hit

Natural disasters raise a host of issues for employers, regardless of whether these employers have a direct presence in the affected areas or whether they have employees residing in or telecommuting from them. Sometimes employers are forced to close or are able to remain open in some capacity, but employees are not able to travel […]

Employer can insist that ‘doctor’s note’ come from a doctor

by Jennifer Suich Frank and Samuel D. Kerr Q One of our employees went to a holistic healer who isn’t a certified healthcare practitioner, and he advised her that she needs a week off work. He won’t write her a doctor’s excuse and will only speak to someone via telephone. Our attendance policy states that missing […]

EEOC provides guidance on mental health conditions in the workplace

by Howard Fetner The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued a resource document explaining the rights of job applicants and employees with mental health conditions. The document explains that applicants and employees with mental health issues are protected from discrimination and harassment based on their conditions, may be entitled to reasonable accommodations, and have […]

Twins for Clooneys! How to manage pregnant employees who aren’t gazillionaire celebs

A-list celebrity George Clooney, long considered Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor, surprised the world when he married international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin back in 2014 after decades of assuring journalists, adoring fans, and a slew of ex-girlfriends that he would never, ever tie the knot a second time. Apparently, George also had a change of […]

Understanding strengths, weaknesses of bipolar employees

Disabilities of all types pose challenges for employers and employees alike. As employers struggle to find ways to help employees with disabilities do their jobs, they also must fulfill obligations created by laws designed to prevent discrimination and violate privacy. Like other disabilities, bipolar disorder presents its own unique challenges—concerns that will be explored in […]

EEOC issues new guidance on leave of absence and ADA accommodations

by Paige Hoster Good On May 9, 2016, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a new guidance document addressing the intersection of employer-provided leave of absence and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This document doesn’t create any new EEOC agency policy or propose any new law. Rather, it consolidates current guidance on the […]

Paid parental leave policies gain traction

by Kelly Boehner There is no federal law in the United States mandating paid maternity or parental leave. Currently, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides for 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child or the placement of a child in foster care. Employees are eligible to […]