Tag: employees

Bumping Up Compliance: Pregnancy Accommodations Under the PWFA

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) has quickly moved from “new law” to active enforcement priority. Effective June 27, 2023, the PWFA requires covered employers—generally those with 15 or more employees—to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, unless the accommodation would impose […]

When Investigating Isn’t Enough: 5th Circuit Highlights Importance of Being Thorough

When an employee complains about workplace harassment, opening an investigation is an important first step, but it isn’t the last one. A recent decision from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all employers in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) reminds employers that once they learn about possible harassment, they must respond […]

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What U.S. Employers Need to Know About USCIS’s Proposed AR-11 Overhaul

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has proposed significant changes to Form AR-11, the address change form that most foreign nationals in the United States must file within 10 days of moving. Although the address reporting obligation is long-standing, the proposed revisions would expand the form well beyond a routine address update, collecting employment, schooling, […]

The Manager Relationship is Central to Worker Retention

When people consider staying with an employer, the relationship with their direct manager can shape nearly every part of their decision. Aerotek’s Job Seeker Survey shows that 37% of workers say they left their shortest-tenured job due to poor company culture or managerial relationships. Additionally, the survey also reports that 32% of job seekers say […]

HRDA Frankly Speaking: Are You Automating Away Your Team’s “Quick Wins”?

Many HR leaders are rushing to use AI to automate routine, repetitive tasks. The goal seems obvious: clear out the busy work so employees can focus entirely on high-value, complex projects. But Kevin Bishop, Director of Talent Development at LinkedIn, warns that this approach might accidentally be driving your team straight toward burnout. In a […]

Know Your Obligations to Employees on Military Leave

Most HR professionals are aware that, under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and similar state laws, they must provide military leave for employees with military service obligations, such as those who serve in the National Guard and military reserves, and reemploy them when that duty is over. What often isn’t as […]

Faces of HR: How Sedgwick’s Beca Mayr Built a Career Out of Matching the Right People to the Right Roles

Beca Mayr got her start in the staffing industry, and she considers it one of the best possible introductions to the HR profession. The staffing world was fast-paced and highly competitive, which pushed her to learn quickly while developing a strong sense of urgency and accountability. What she found most exciting early on was getting […]

Fired Teacher’s Lawsuit Offers Reminder: Document Everything, Apply It Evenly

A teacher’s discrimination suit against his former school district reminds employers of the evidentiary burdens employees face and shows what a defensible investigation looks like. What Happened Joe Bravo, a teacher of Mexican-American descent, was accused by six different students of making racially and culturally insensitive remarks about their educational prospects. The Dallas Independent School […]

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Minimum Wage Increases Take Effect: What Employers Need to Know

On July 1, workers across Maryland and Washington, D.C., saw changes to their minimum hourly rate. As workers continue to contend with the affordability crisis, two counties in Maryland and the District of Columbia are three of the more than 20 states and localities to increase the minimum wage this summer. While Maryland’s statewide minimum […]

DOJ Opinion Declares EEOC Regulations on Disparate Impact Unconstitutional

In response to a request from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Chair Andrea Lucas, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) on June 9 issued an opinion declaring the EEOC’s current guidance on disparate impact under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to be unconstitutional.  Background  The concept […]