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 […]
A Trap for the Unwary Federal Practitioner – No More “Three Extra Days” on E-Mail Service!
As of December 1, 2016, Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 6(d) will change such that there will no longer be three days added to the response time – IF the served document was served by electronic means. The newly amended Rule 6(d) reads as follows: 6(d) Additional Time After Certain Kinds of Service. When a party […]
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 […]