Labor & Employment Law Update

As California employers are well aware, the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) gives employees certain leave rights for medical conditions, similar to the federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA).  However, starting July 1, 2015, the regulations are updated to align more with FMLA in certain areas and to clarify areas where CFRA is different than FMLA.

CFRA alignment includes:

• “Covered employers” now contains successors in interest and joint employers are defined similar to FMLA;
• Spouse is defined to include same-sex spouses as FMLA;
• When calculating the 12 months of ...

In a 2-1 decision, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a decision against an auto dealer, finding that the company violated the National Labor Relations Act (act) by implementing and maintaining: (1) a 2010 social media policy that required employees to identify themselves when posting comments about the company, its business, or a policy issue and prohibited employees from using the company’s logo in any manner; and (2)  a 2010 dress code policy that prohibited employees from wearing pins, insignia or other message clothing.  Boch Imports, Inc., 362 NLRB No ...

Amid much anticipation, the Court unanimously held in Mach Mining, LLC v. EEOC that under Title VII, the EEOC must attempt to conciliate prior to filing suit against an employer. U.S. Sup. Ct., No. 13-1019 (Apr. 29, 2015). Title VII’s enforcement mechanism governs employment discrimination and retaliation claims related to race, color, religion, sex/pregnancy, national origin, age, and disability.  Under Title VII, the EEOC’s duty is to endeavor to eliminate discrimination by informal methods of conference, conciliation and persuasion and to insist upon ...

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, ADAAA) and Rehabilitation Act, which incorporates most of the ADA standards, prohibit discriminating against employees based on their disabilities.  Indeed, with the ADAAA amendment, recent court decisions have broadened the scope of what is considered a disability, as well as what steps an employer must take in order to comply with the law.

In doing so, employers may feel that their hands are tied behind their back in dealing with employees who perform poorly and/or act out at work.  However, just because an employee is ...

There have been very few if any health care policies as controversial as the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  One of its most talked about provisions, the contraception mandate, again made headlines this past month, especially here in the Seventh Circuit.  Unless you were living under a rock or enjoying a tropical vacation without Wi-Fi last July, you’ve heard of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, 134 S. Ct. 2751 (2014), the Supreme Court decision that held corporations controlled by religious families cannot be required to pay for contraception coverage for their female workers, contrary to ...

Last week, the National Labor Relations Board (board) filed a legal brief in an ongoing federal lawsuit over the viability of a multi-part right-to-work law implemented through a county-wide ordinance in Hardin County, Kentucky.  Among other things, the ordinance at issue prohibits the use of union-security provisions in collective bargaining agreements, and also regulates hiring halls, dues check-off, anti-coercion and discrimination provisions, and the penalties for violations of Section 8 of the National Labor Relations Act.  The board’s central argument is that ...

The EEOC officially published proposed rules applying the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to employer wellness programs on April 20, 2015. The public comment period ends June 19, 2015.

Wellness programs, often offered as part of group health plans, are programs designed to improve employee health and reduce health care expense.  Wellness programs vary widely and may include incentives encouraging employees to participate in smoking cessation or weight loss programs, or undergo health risk assessments or biometric screenings.

Despite rules applicable to wellness ...

Not exactly—but it is quite useful, nonetheless.

Recently, the Office of the General Counsel for the National Labor Relations Board issued a report on lawful and unlawful employee handbook rules.  And while the information provided in the report does not have the force of law, the guidance is quite detailed and it provides insight into what, for the moment, is the board’s approach to enforcement on employee handbooks.

What the report makes clear is that context is key to determining whether an employee handbook provision will be considered lawful or not.  For instance, it is ...

Last month OSHA published another bulletin as part of its series for providing guidance on safety and health compliance with respect to temporary workers.  This particular bulletin reiterated OSHA’s position that temporary employees have the same rights and protections as all other covered employees, including protection against retaliation for engaging in protected activity.  OSHA stressed that a temporary employee who believes he or she is retaliated against for reporting injuries, participating in OSHA inspection, raising safety concerns or complaints, or engaging in ...

The IRS and Treasury Department recently issued Notice 2015-16 discussing initial approaches to implementing the 40% excise tax imposed on high-cost health plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  This notice is the first step in the process leading to final regulations.

Beginning in 2018, the excise tax, also called the “Cadillac Tax,” will impose a 40% tax on the cost of employer-sponsored health plans that exceeds certain thresholds. The tax may affect few plans initially, but is expected to affect many more over time as the cost of health care grows faster than inflation.