As we previously blogged, Congress established the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. This $669 billion-dollar loan program was designed to help businesses negatively affected by COVID-19 continue...
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Fourth Circuit Sheds Light on “Reasonable” Accommodation Requests
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, employers can expect requests for accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to rise as well. Recently, the 4th Circuit issued an opinion that highlights the importance of engaging in an interactive process with...
New Montgomery County Law Significantly Expands the Definition of Workplace Harassment
On January 15, 2021, a new law will go into effect in Montgomery County that will dramatically change the definition of workplace “harassment.” Previously, in order for workplace harassment to be actionable, it needed to be “severe or pervasive.” Generally, this...
Does Title VII Prohibit Discrimination Based on Accents?
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 does not explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of foreign accent. However, one’s foreign accent and their national origin are often intertwined, and courts can look to evidence of accent discrimination as evidence...
How to Navigate Political Discussions After the 2020 Election
Surveys show that political talk in the office is pervasive. 26% of Americans say that they regularly discuss politics in the workplace, and 42% report that they’ve had a political disagreement with a co-worker. Surveys have also found that 45% of Democrats wouldn’t...
How to Talk Politics at Work
In today’s divisive political climate, it is tempting for employers to adopt universal policies that prohibit political discussion in the workplace. While this might seem like the safest option, it’s naïve for employers to think they will be able to prevent their...
PPP Loan Forgiveness Simplified for Loans of $50,000 or Less
The Small Business Administration (SBA) recently issued a new rule that simplifies the loan forgiveness procedure for Paycheck Protection Program loans of $50,000 or less. The new simplified procedure will apply to roughly 3.57 million individual loans, amounting to...
How Should I Classify My Workers? Department of Labor Weighs in on “Employee” vs. “Independent Contractor” Confusion
The US Department of Labor (DOL) recently proposed a rule to provide employers with some much-needed guidance as to whether they should classify their workers as “employees” or an “independent contractors.” Historically, many different, and sometimes conflicting...
Attorneys Accuse Maryland Legal Aid Of Discrimination, Saying Firm Forced Vulnerable Staff To Work During Pandemic
October 6, 2020 By: Ally Schweitzer Three former senior attorneys for Maryland Legal Aid have filed a discrimination complaint against the pro-bono law firm. In charges filed Monday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency that enforces...
Three fired Maryland Legal Aid attorneys accuse pro bono law firm of discrimination, file EEOC complaint
October 7, 2020 By: Brooks DuBose Three former Maryland Legal Aid attorneys fired by the pro bono law firm this summer have filed a discrimination complaint against the organization. In charges filed Monday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the...