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Disability-Related Questions And Medical Exams, Part 1: EEOC Releases Guidance On When You Can Get Health Information From Employees

Five years ago, the EEOC issued rules explaining which medical exams you could require and what health questions you could ask job applicants without running afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Now, newly released guidance from the EEOC helps clear up some of the uncertainty employers face when these types of issues come up […]

Employers Increasingly Offer PTO for Adoption (Infographic)

Employers are increasingly offering paid time off for adoptions, according to a new report from consulting group Mercer. The benefit is likely an attempt to meet the needs of a workforce in which the definition of “family” now includes same-sex parents, the firm said. While employees in the U.S. have access to 12 weeks’ unpaid […]

Is Every Employee Disabled?

By Michael E. Barnsback That was the question we received at the conclusion of the ADA Compliance Virtual Summit, which I conducted with Audra Hamilton on June 15, 2011. The question was reasonable after conference participants learned that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) new regulations emphasize that the focus of the Americans with Disabilities […]

Performance Appraisals 2013–What’s Happening in the Real World?

Everyone admits that performance appraisals are important—but few are pleased with the effectiveness of their process. What’s happening with performance management in the real world? What’s working? What are your competitors up to? Let’s find out! Please participate in our brief survey and see how what you are doing stacks up against what other successful […]

‘Free Choice Act’ Is Deceptive Labeling, Lawyer Says

Attorney Phillip Russell, a speaker at the upcoming National Employment Law Update conference, says the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) is laden with pitfalls for employers and employees alike. Heading toward passage? While many experts predict that the EFCA will pass Congress and become law—even in modified form—some are deriding the Act as a case […]

EEOC lawsuits may change how employers handle sexual orientation issues

by Brent E. Siler The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently filed its first lawsuits alleging that discrimination based on sexual orientation is sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While the EEOC has successfully filed sex discrimination claims on behalf of LGBT employees in the past, the recent lawsuits […]

Are generic antigay comments considered harassment?

by Steve Jones Q I have an employee who is outwardly gay. He is a great employee and says he loves working at my business. However, he recently mentioned that he doesn’t like when a specific coworker uses antigay slurs. The slurs are not directed toward the gay employee. Instead, the slurs are generic comments […]

California’s minimum wage going up on January 1

The minimum wage in California will rise to $10.50 an hour on January 1 for most employers thanks to a measure signed into law in April. Future incremental increases will put the state’s minimum wage at $15 an hour by January 2022 for employers with 26 or more employees. Smaller employers will have more time […]

Modified Obamacare replacement bill narrowly passes House

In a squeaker of a vote, a modified version of the American Health Care Act passed the House 217-213 on May 4. The vote was cleanly split along party lines, with no Democrats supporting the legislation and 20 Republicans voting against it. In March, the bill was pulled prior to a vote when it became […]