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Are Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Covered by Title VII? The Supreme Court Will Decide.
May 2, 2019
Category: Legal Updates
Recently, the United State Supreme Court accepted three different cases dealing with gay and transgender rights under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on sex and the question of whether this includes discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity has been hotly contested in recent years. While opinions issued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) have generally indicated that sexual orientation and gender identity should fall within the purview of Title VII, courts have remained divided over these issues. It is anticipated that the Supreme Court’s decisions will finally provide much-needed clarity for employers and the LGBTQ community at large.
Did you receive a notice from the Social Security Administration that an employee’s name and Social Security Number are mismatched on their W-2 this tax season? Not to worry, this is a fairly common occurrence, and the Social Security Administration has provided simple instructions for addressing the issue.
It’s no secret within the hospitality industry that restaurants and hotels have thin profit margins, averaging only 3-5%. With the two largest expenses being fixed rent and variable labor, it is not uncommon for venues to focus on labor costs. This undoubtedly explains the growing trend to evaluate outsourcing certain positions. Outsourcing aims to eliminate overtime and the cost of employee benefits while responding to business level fluctuations in real-time. But, if the outsource process is mismanaged, it may create more problems than it solves. These are our top 5 prevention tips to avoid problems.
Even in California, where the courts have resisted sending employee claims to arbitration, the tide is turning in favor of mandatory employment arbitration agreements. The California Court of Appeals for the Second Appellate District reversed the decision of Los Angeles Superior Court judge William Fahey denying the employer’s petition to enforce its arbitration agreement.
What’s on Your Mind? How Facebook Statuses Can Make or Break Litigated Cases
April 8, 2019 • Shirley A. Gauvin
Category: Legal Updates
With the popularity of Facebook and the widespread use of social media by employees, it probably comes as no surprise that experts believe a person’s Facebook status update offers interesting (and usually obvious) insight about his or her personality. Some people tend to share photos of their travel adventures or culinary skills while others post primarily about the political issues of the day or their kid’s latest athletic competition. For the reader, status updates can be interesting, fun and educational. They can also be dangerous traps for the unwary when they consist of unrestrained rants targeting an employer. Certainly, “concerted activities” for the purpose of mutual aid or protection are permitted and protected by the National Labor Relations Act; therefore, posts consisting of complaints concerning working conditions or worker’s rights will typically not support termination of the employee. However, before “going off” on an employer on social media, or tolerating the same by your employees, remember that such posts may be viewed as offensive and unprotected, supporting a legal termination.
DOL's New Joint Employer Proposal Brings Clarity and Good News for Businesses
April 4, 2019 • Shirley A. Gauvin
Category: Legal Updates
Joint employer status has long been a hot topic and is seemingly a moving target depending on which agency or jurisdiction is evaluating the status. In a move to reduce uncertainty over joint employer status, promote greater uniformity among court decisions, reduce litigation, and encourage innovation in the economy, on April 1, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) proposed a four-part test to replace existing regulations that determine joint employer status under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). While the proposal was favorably received by managers/employers, it sparked criticism from the plaintiffs’ attorneys, who accused the DOL of ignoring precedent that interpreted joint employment broadly.
Beauty Comes in Many Forms: Eliminating Inherent Racial Bias in Employer Grooming Standards
March 29, 2019
Category: Legal Updates
Last month, the New York City Commission on Human Rights released new guidelines (available here) that explicitly protect “the rights of New Yorkers to maintain natural hairstyles that are closely associated with their racial, ethnic, or cultural identities.” Penalties for employers include fines up to $250,000 per infraction with unlimited civil damages.
Employers in New York City now have additional requirements for their employee lactation rooms and lactation policies.
The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act: What You Need to Know
March 14, 2019 • Jordan A. Fishman
The Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act (“FAIR” Act) was introduced in both houses on February 28, 2019. If passed, the FAIR Act would eliminate mandatory arbitration agreements in employment, consumer, antitrust and civil rights claims. The bill would not completely do away with arbitration. Employees and consumers could agree to arbitration after a dispute occurs. The FAIR Act would also prohibit agreements that stop individuals, employees and businesses from joining or filing class actions.
Homewood Suites Injunction Lifted: "Extended Stay" Guest of One Year Does Not Acquire Tenants' Rights
March 11, 2019 • Karl M. Terrell
Category: Press Releases
The New Hampshire Supreme Court, on March 8, in the case of Anderson v. Robitaille and Homewood Suites by Hilton [Case No. 2017-0195]{:target=”blank”} issued a ruling that clarifies the respective rights of hotels and guests when a guest resides for a lengthy period of time in an all-suites, extended-stay hotel.