New York City Introduces Disconnecting From Work Law

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
04/16/2018
Disconnecting from work may be à la mode.  And no, I do not mean topped with ice cream.  Rather, it appears that laws restricting or prohibiting employers from requiring employees to check work e-mails after work hours could be catching. Last year, a law in France granting employees a “right to disconnect” from work went into effect.  The law requires covered employers (companies with more than 50 employees) to ensure that their...
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Maryland General Assembly Strengthens Internal Sex Harassment Rules

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
04/13/2018
The Maryland General Assembly ended its session this week with approval of House Bill 1342, legislation aimed at strengthening policies for the investigation and resolution of sexual harassment complaints involving members of the State lawmaking community.  The Bill is designated emergency legislation.  If Governor Hogan signs as expected, it will become effective immediately. A report released earlier this year by the Maryland Women’s Caucus...
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No ADA Claim For Chipotle Employee Terminated Over Prescription Drug Reaction

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
04/11/2018
The Eleventh Circuit held this past week that an employee couldn’t show disability discrimination when Chipotle fired her for violating its zero-tolerance inebriation policy, despite evidence that the employee’s conduct was a result of prescription medication taken for a disability.  Caporicci v. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., No. 16-13494 (11th Cir. 4/5/18). In this case, Plaintiff Caporicci was hired by Chipotle in July 2012.  After a year of...
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Target Finally Moving Out Of The Cross-Hairs Of Criminal History Hiring Discrimination Lawsuit

Target has quite the bill to pay.  As a result of alleged discriminatory hiring practices, premised upon Target's use of criminal background screening in a manner that had a disproportionate impact on minorities, Target Corp. will pay $3.74 million, and give priority hiring opportunities to black and Latino job applicants, to resolve claims that its criminal background check policy illegally excluded thousands of minority applicants from employment...
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No Overtime This Time... Supreme Court Holds Service Advisors Are Exempt Under The FLSA

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
04/04/2018
On April 2, 2018, the Supreme Court, with its second consideration of the same case, held in a 5-4 decision, that automobile service advisors are exempt from overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).  In Encino Motorcars, LLC v. Navarro, the Supreme Court held that service advisers fall under the FLSA exemption applicable to “any salesman, partsman, or mechanic primarily engaged in selling or servicing automobiles, trucks, or farm...
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Fifth Circuit Vacates DOL Fiduciary Rule

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
03/28/2018
On March 15, 2018, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit vacated the Department of Labor’s Fiduciary Rule.  The Fiduciary Rule (which is actually seven different rules promulgated by the Department of Labor) imposed heightened standards on retirement investment advisors, and expanded the definition of fiduciary under ERISA.  The Rule went into effect on June 9, 2017, with a transition period until January 1, 2018. After...
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Maryland General Assembly Considering Bills Aimed At Workplace Sexual Harassment

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
03/22/2018
Maryland’s House and Senate have passed competing versions of legislation that would ban employment agreement that limit rights to sue for future claims of sexual harassment. Senate Bill 1010 -- the "Disclosing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Act of 2018" -- would make void any provision in an employment contract, policy, or agreement that waives any substantive or procedural right or remedy to a future claim of sexual harassment or...
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NLRA Doesn’t Shield Employee Who Violated Security Protocols

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
03/20/2018
The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) gives employees the right to engage in protected concerted activity.  The NLRA also makes it an unfair labor practice for an employer “to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of the rights” under the Act.  Despite the NLRA’s broad protections, an employer may take action against an employee whose conduct exceeds the scope of the Act’s protections.  The conduct underlying a...
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Court Dismisses Grumpy Hospital Clerk's Claim of Age Discrimination

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
03/13/2018
On March 12, 2018, a Virginia federal court dismissed a claim of age discrimination brought by a 54 year old woman who had worked for Norton Community Hospital as an admissions clerk for nearly 23 years.  In Moore v. Mountain States Health Alliance, et. al., No. 2:16CV00014 (W.D. Va. 2018), Judge James Jones granted summary judgment to the employer, reasoning that the undisputed facts showed that the plaintiff could not prove that she was meeting...
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Oh God: Sixth Circuit Reverses Funeral Home Win Over Transgender Employee

Kollman, Saucier, & Jackson
03/09/2018
Amiee Stephens worked for a funeral home when she was known as Anthony Stephens. The funeral home is a closely held corporation, owned by a devout Christian.  The funeral home itself, however, is not affiliated with a church and does not claim to have a religious purpose in its articles of incorporation.  It is open every day, including Christian holidays, and it serves clients of all faiths. The short factual summary:  when Stephens told the...
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