The COVID pandemic changed how almost every organization functions. For many, this involves the extensive use of video conferencing, to the point where many who work in offices are comfortable running meetings online. It has even bled into our personal lives, where...
Employment Issues For Employers
Employment Issues For Employers
“Hail Zorp!”: Lessons from Parks and Recreation on How to Handle Religious Exemption Requests
On Parks and Recreation, Amy Poehler plays Leslie Knope, the Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department in Pawnee, Indiana. In season 3, she is desperate to have a local plot of land preserved as a National Park. She admits, “I’m looking for anything to...
Companies Need Hiring Protocols that Accommodate use of Video Platforms
Many things have changed over the last few years. One major shift has been working from home and conducting meetings via video conferencing. While some are happy to be back in the office, it is likely that video conferencing is here to stay. Managers and HR staff also...
Biden’s Vaccine Mandates Continue to Face Challenges: What Does This Mean for Employers?
As we previously blogged, President Biden’s mandate for large employers has been put on hold by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, because in the Court’s words, the Plaintiffs have alleged “’grave statutory and constitutional issues” with the mandate. In response,...
Vaccine Mandates Continue to Face Challenges in Federal Court
As we previously blogged, a federal court in Texas recently issued a temporary restraining order halting the enforcement of United Airlines’ vaccine mandate. The Judge was clear “the Court [was] not currently ruling on the merits of the parties’ arguments.” Rather,...
The gender-based pay gap is still a problem
Many businesses tout a model where employee pay is based on merit, skill and experience. However, the much-admired Pew Research Center released a new study on gender and pay in 2020. It found that women earn 84% of what men earn for similar work. This number remains...
OSHA Unveils Highly Anticipated Vaccine Mandate Standard
As we previously blogged, President Biden recently announced that all employers with more than 100 employees will be required to implement a vaccine policy. This order is estimated to impact roughly 80 million Americans. The Occupational Safety and Health...
Consistency and Communication Matter When Disciplining Employees
When employers need to discipline or even terminate an employee, it can be a fraught situation. No one wants to risk a lawsuit, but employee discipline can stir up a lot of conflict. How can you feel confident you are following the law? Employers have a responsibility...
Have Shift Workers? You Must Pay Them for Pre- and Post-Shift Time
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and parallel state laws require employers to pay workers for all the time they worked. That includes any time spent on required activities before clocking in or after clocking out. If the activity is required by the...
Should Employers Care if Their Remote Employees Move to Another State?
Over the course of the pandemic, many employees have been given the freedom to work from home, or even move around the country while working remotely. For many employers, remote work has not presented any problems in terms of employee productivity or supervision. ...