• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Discrimination / Harassment

Employers embrace pay transparency

10/10/2024
New laws in a growing number of jurisdictions now require some form of pay transparency from employers. The House of Representatives has introduced the Pay Transparency Act, which would amend the FLSA.

Gender wage gap widened for first time in two decades

09/30/2024
According to a recent Census Bureau report, working men earned a median $66,790 in 2023, a 3% change from 2022. Wages for working women increased by half as much.

Review policies limiting workplace romantic relationships

09/27/2024
Earlier this year, the EEOC released the final version of its Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace. One of the report’s most significant conclusions: Employers can lessen the likelihood of workplace sexual harassment by putting up guardrails to regulate workplace romantic and sexual relationships.

Take employee misconduct complaints seriously, for their sake and yours

09/27/2024
Employers would love it if unacceptable behavior never happened in their workplace. Unfortunately, few work environments escape problems. Effective leaders realize their actions during such critical times play a huge role in employee relations going forward.

Require supervisors to consult HR before removing reasonable accommodation

09/12/2024
Once an employer accepts and approves an employee’s request for a reasonable accommodation, it has essentially agreed that an accommodation was warranted. Think twice before removing that accommodation!

$45 million to settle pregnant workers’ suit

09/12/2024
In a case that highlights the need for employers to take the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act seriously, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has agreed to pay $45 million to settle a class-action lawsuit filed by 1,000 agency employees. The suit alleged CBP refused to accommodate pregnant workers with anything other than light-duty work.

New Illinois law highlights AI traps for employers

09/03/2024
On Aug. 9, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill that amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to limit how employers can use AI in hiring, promotion, retention and discipline. Any AI use that discriminates on the basis of protected status is now illegal.

More states ramp up pay-transparency requirements

08/30/2024
The push for pay equity is gaining momentum in statehouses nationwide. Several states have enacted legislation that prohibits employers from using new employees’ past compensation to set starting salaries and requiring them to disclose their starting pay ranges.

Pay equity trends and data: What HR departments need to know

08/22/2024
While HR professionals are likely aware of the rising trend and growth of pay transparency laws, pay equity laws are rising as well. Joanna Colosimo, vice president of workforce equity and compliance strategy at DCI Consulting, dug into this issue during a session at SHRM’s annual conference this past June.

Rules mean nothing without enforcement

08/22/2024
Rules that aren’t enforced may get you in bigger legal trouble than none at all because a jury can point to your rules as evidence you knew your legal obligations but chose to ignore them.