News & Insights

The birth or adoption of a child is a momentous event in an employee’s life. And an employer’s parental leave policies, or lack thereof, can communicate the company’s values and, if structured incorrectly, its unchecked biases. In particular, employers and their HR teams should be wary of policies that treat male and female employees differently...

The Important Relationships Businesses and HR managers should recognize that providing better resources and support to employees during this workforce crisis will help prevent turnover and mitigate future off-budget expenses. While the options available will differ depending on the size and nature of your business, all employers should be putting policies in place that acknowledge...

So you’re ready to reopen your business, eh? You’ve cleaned the office, installed new hand-wash and sanitizer stations, and ordered a pallet of disinfectant wipes. You’re prepared to screen employees, you’ve adjusted schedules to allow spacing, and you are all set to encourage social distancing. You’re pleased that most of your employees have heeded the call...

Thank you to the 400+ attendees of our webinar! Our attorneys discussed the latest updates on proposed paid sick, family, and medical leave, best practices for dealing with the ongoing crisis, and all the latest breaking CV19 news. Missed it? Click below for several webinar and presentation viewing options. Full Audio/Video Webinar on YouTube Presentation Only...

by Amy Thomson. You’re an employer covered by the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) and have an FMLA-eligible employee who is having surgery (which you’ve determined is an FMLA-qualifying reason) and will be out for a period longer than the 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave to which she is entitled. Your employee has two weeks...

In March 2017, bills were introduced to the House and Senate that would include the death of a child as a qualifying event under the Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”). Parents who are eligible employees who work for qualified employers could take up to twelve (12) weeks of unpaid leave to mourn the loss of...

An employee tells you she is pregnant. After the initial rush of happiness and congratulations, is there anything else to consider? “No problem,” you say, “she’ll work as usual. If she needs time off for a doctor’s appointment, no big deal. When she’s on maternity leave, we’ll hire a temp.” But what happens if she...

Affordable Care Act The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the Fourth Circuit Court decision in King v. Burwell, holding that individuals who get their health insurance through the federal government exchange will be eligible for tax subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. The decision leaves employers in largely the same position they’ve faced since ACA’s passage,...

Ebola is on the minds of many in recent months, so it is perhaps unsurprising that HR managers have been bombarded with questions about how their companies will respond. OSHA and the CDC have released guidelines for specific high-risk sectors primarily aimed at disease prevention and control, but little guidance exists for workplaces where the...

Last month the EEOC published new enforcement guidance on the application of federal laws prohibiting discrimination to pregnant employees in the workplace. The agency takes the position that employers must reasonably accommodate certain temporary impairments arising out of pregnancy that may be considered “disabilities” under the Americans with Disabilities Act. It further states that a...

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued updated Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) regulations ahead of schedule, and just in time for the FMLA’s 20th birthday. The Final Rule addresses family military leave and rules applicable to airline flight crews. The effective date for these updates will be March 8, 2013, for those provisions...

A.             Definition of Family Medical Leave Family Medical Leave (FML) is a benefit that eligible/covered employers are required to offer to all eligible employees.  FML was created by the Department of Labor (DOL) through the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 (often referred to as “FMLA”). THE PURPOSE OF FML Family Medical Leave was designed...

Most employers are too busy with their day-to-day operations to expend much bandwidth wringing their hands over the nuances of employment-law compliance.  With this in mind, take a quick look at a rundown of the four most common employment law issues we see in our practice.  Simply knowing that these land mines are out there...

I recently had lunch with a friend who is happily expecting her first child. While this is certainly an exciting time for her and her husband, she couldn’t help but be anxious about her company’s attitude concerning her pregnancy and the new arrival. Specifically, when she asked the company’s HR Manager about her options for...