The Gig Economy: What Employers Need to Know About Working With Independent Contractors
Much has been written in recent years about “the gig economy” — an environment that favors hiring independent personnel for short-term appointments — and with good reason. According to a recent Princeton University study, the percentage of American workers engaged in “alternative work arrangements” has grown from 10.1 percent in 2005 to 15.8 percent in the […]
Election Day 2016: What Employers Need to Know About Time off to Vote
Election Day is almost upon us, and voter turnout this year is expected to be high. Unlike in the past, when companies had eight-hour working shifts and most people had the flexibility to vote either before or after work, work schedules have become increasingly demanding, and some employees will need to take time off on […]
Sexual Harassment: It’s Not About Power
During this year’s fiercely contested political campaigns, the issue of sexual harassment found its way into the spotlight on multiple occasions. In the November 2 article “Why Sexual Harassment Persists in Politics,” the New York Times reported that “experts in employment law and advocates of women’s rights claim that there are specific reasons that harassment can flourish […]
Retaliation in the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know
While laws against harassment and discrimination are in place to protect employees, some claimants soon find themselves the subject of retaliation: being fired, demoted, harassed, or otherwise subjected to unfair treatment by their employers as a result of their allegations. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has put regulations in place to prohibit retaliatory […]
Pregnancy Discrimination: What Employers Need to Know
A suit for violations of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) can cost a great deal of money in damages for lost wages and benefits, medical damages, mental anguish, and punitive damages as well as for attorneys’ fees. It can also cost a great deal of time for staff members, negatively affect morale and result in […]
The Equal Pay Act: What Employers Need to Know
According to a 2016 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, median weekly earnings for men age 16 and older who were full-time wage and salary workers were $915, while the median for female workers was $749 — an 18 percent difference. Passed in 1963 and enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Equal Pay […]
Study: Age Discrimination Still a Problem
Older workers, particularly women, still encounter discrimination in hiring, according to a recent study by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Due to the aging U.S. population and the resulting burden on the Social Security system, new federal programs are encouraging workers to stay in the workforce longer. “However,” the study states, “hiring discrimination against […]
“At Will” Employment in Texas: What Employers Need to Know
Texas is an “employment at will” state, and it’s important that employers understand exactly what that means, both for themselves and for their employees. “At will” employment means that if there is no employment contract, either the employer or the employee may terminate the working relationship for any reason, at any time, with or without […]
Proposed EEOC-OFCCP Merger Faces Opposition From Employers and Civil Rights Groups
As the 2018 fiscal budget begins to take shape, the Trump administration is proposing a merger between the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), a subagency of the Labor Department that monitors affirmative action and nondiscrimination compliance for federal contractors. According to the president’s proposed budget, the two agencies […]
OSHA’s New Electronic Reporting System: What Employers Need to Know
On August 1, 2017, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) introduced a new reporting system for submitting injury and illness data electronically. While use of the Injury Tracking Application (ITA) will not be mandatory until later this year, covered employers are advised to be aware of the system, how it works, and how their information will […]