Legal
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Kroger settles claims it failed to accommodate worker with vision impairment
The grocery chain agreed in the settlement to provide new hires with vision disabilities access to tools to make their onboarding programs more inclusive.
By Lisa Burden • July 17, 2019 -
5th Cir.: Sexual harassment investigation did not create hostile work environment
The complaint did not plausibly allege that the city's investigations created working conditions "so intolerable that a reasonable person would have felt compelled to resign."
By Jennifer Carsen • July 17, 2019 -
New York bans discrimination against employees with natural hairstyles
The hair discrimination statute will go into immediate effect across the state.
By Rosie Bradbury • July 16, 2019 -
ColumnEmployee preference has little place in FMLA, FLSA compliance
In this installment of "Other Duties as Assigned," HR Dive's lead editor, Kate Tornone, explains why HR sometimes has to be the bad guy.
By Kate Tornone • July 15, 2019 -
Scantily-clad baristas must cover up, says 9th Cir.
In response to complaints, one city passed an ordinance requiring that employees, owners and operators of quick-service facilities cover "minimum body areas."
By Jennifer Carsen • July 15, 2019 -
City employee fired over sexual harassment accusations may see trial
The city failed to follow its discipline process, treating the employee more harshly than it did a white co-worker who had similarly severe harassment complaints.
By Lisa Burden • July 15, 2019 -
As EEO-1 pay data portal opens, some question collection's usefulness
"Pay equity is a huge issue," Alston and Bird Partner Brett Coburn told HR Dive, "but I don't think it's going to be driven by EEO-1."
By Ryan Golden • July 15, 2019 -
US Labor Secretary Acosta resigns
Acosta was embroiled in controversy over the handling of a case that involved alleged sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his time as a federal prosecutor.
By Ryan Golden • UPDATED: July 12, 2019 at 1:51 p.m. -
9th Cir.: 'Severely offensive' racial slurs created hostile work environment
The plaintiff, the only African-American employee at his workplace at the time, claimed racial discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
By Lisa Burden • July 11, 2019 -
CBO projects $15 minimum wage could raise pay but leave millions jobless
A $15 minimum wage plan would lead to wage gains particularly for low-income workers, CBO said, but it noted the outcomes of its assessment are uncertain.
By Ryan Golden • July 11, 2019 -
United Methodist ministry fired worker for complaining of race bias, EEOC says
Retaliation is the most frequently alleged basis of discrimination in the federal sector, according to the EEOC.
By Lisa Burden • July 11, 2019 -
EEOC: Employer fired worker for blood disorder, said it thought it hired 'healthy' person
Many employers have ended up in expensive litigation because of comments made by managers and supervisors.
By Lisa Burden • July 11, 2019 -
Medical coders win $1.5M in misclassification wage suit settlement
Misclassification of employees as independent contractors can be a costly mistake for employers, particularly when it affects a large group of workers.
By Jennifer Carsen • July 11, 2019 -
New gender discrimination claims widen Disney class-action suit
The suit alleges Disney routinely paid women less than men in similar jobs and denied women promotions.
By Ryan Golden , Valerie Bolden-Barrett • July 10, 2019 -
'Shifting justifications' prompt 9th Cir. to overturn Wells Fargo summary judgment
An email from a supervisor undercut the bank's argument that the plaintiff was fired because her position was eliminated in restructuring.
By Lisa Burden • July 10, 2019 -
9th Cir. vacates DirecTV gig worker suit, makes room for Dynamex application
The technicians have "substantial control over the performance of work orders," the court said.
By Jennifer Carsen • July 10, 2019 -
EEOC says Citizens Bank failed to accommodate worker with anxiety, forced him to quit
The agency claims that the bank engaged in disability bias when it refused to reassign an employee to one of several vacant positions.
By Jennifer Carsen • July 09, 2019 -
More than 200 corporations sign amicus brief for LGBTQ rights in SCOTUS cases
Lambda Legal described it as a "landmark brief" with more corporate signers than any other previous brief supporting the LGBTQ community.
By Valerie Bolden-Barrett • July 09, 2019 -
California outlaws hair discrimination in the workplace
The law makes California the first state to include hair texture and specific hairstyles within legal definitions of racial discrimination.
By Rosie Bradbury • July 09, 2019 -
9th Cir.: 'De minimis' standard doesn't apply to Nike, Converse bag inspections
The circuit allowed the employees' claims to go forward, reversing prior verdicts in favor of both Nike and Converse due to California's labor code.
By Jennifer Carsen • July 09, 2019 -
Hospital pays $74K after allegedly refusing to accommodate religious objection to vaccine
The EEOC has cracked down on mandatory vaccination policies in recent years even as they gain new ground among medical providers.
By Lisa Burden • July 09, 2019 -
7th Cir.: American Airlines employee with MS no longer qualified after restructuring
Although the employee had successfully worked mostly from home for years, her job responsibilities changed after her department was restructured.
By Jennifer Carsen • July 09, 2019 -
White House names 2 nominees for EEOC vacancies
Two previous nominees, including former commissioner Chai Feldblum, withdrew their names from consideration during a heated confirmation process.
By Ryan Golden • July 08, 2019 -
EEOC sues health facility that rescinded job offer to applicant on anxiety meds
Federal law requires employers to try to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities who are properly using prescription medications.
By Lisa Burden • July 08, 2019 -
DOL clarifies overtime calculations for certain nondiscretionary bonuses
In an opinion letter, the Wage and Hour Division weighed in on an employer's recalculation process for both quarterly and annual nondiscretionary bonuses.
By Ryan Golden • July 03, 2019
