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Obama’s First Move–Signing Equal Pay Bills?

New hurdles in defending against pay-bias lawsuits may be coming soon to a workplace near you. The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed two pay discrimination bills—the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 11) and the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 12). Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) is expected to introduce companion legislation in the […]

High Court Extends Anti-Retaliation Protections

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County that Title VII’s anti-retaliation provision extends to an employee who speaks out about discrimination while answering questions during an employer’s internal investigation.

News Notes: Disability Claim Payouts Reach Record Level

The federal government pulled in a record $49.9 million last year for employees who filed complaints under the Americans with Disabilities Act, an increase of $34 million over the last six years, according to recent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission statistics. Topping the list were HIV-related claims of $10.5 million, followed by orthopedic and back injuries […]

Comment period for rule on federal contractor compensation data extended

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has extended the comment period for a proposed rule that would require federal contractors and subcontractors to submit an annual equal pay report to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP). The 60-day extension means comments must be submitted by January 5, 2015. Interested parties can read and […]

Emergency Procedures: EEOC Issues Guidelines On Requesting Medical Information For Use In Planning Evacuations

Because of recent national events, many employers have been developing or revising their emergency procedures to help ensure that employees can be evacuated safely. One issue that arises is that some employees with medical conditions may need special assistance in an emergency. To help you plan more effectively to help these workers, the federal Equal […]

News Notes: Recent Workplace Injury And Illness Statistics Released

The Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2002, private-industry employers recorded 4.7 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses, or 5.3 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers. About 2.5 million of the recorded cases involved lost workdays, transfer to another job, restriction of work duties, or a combination. The other 2.2 million […]

Employment Law Tip: Practical Tips to Avoid Race Claims

Last year, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received over 27,000 race discrimination complaints, a good indication that employers should be paying closer attention to how they can avoid race bias disputes in their own workplaces. Here are some practical tips you can use: 

EEOC Proposes Rules Defining ‘Reasonable Factor Other Than Age’

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has proposed regulations that would define “reasonable factor other than age” under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The need for these rules arises in the wake of the Smith v. City of Jackson decision, a 2008 U.S. Supreme Court case in which the Court addressed the appropriate […]

Executive Compensation: Deferred Compensation Plans May No Longer Be a Given

Of course you offer an executive deferred compensation plan; it’s a given, right? Both the executives you’re trying to recruit and your own staff expect you to have one. What’s more, if you’re competing for talent with the company across town and it has a deferred comp plan, you’d better have one, too. And what […]