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Employment Law

Court: USERRA only protects seniority-based benefits for military-connected employees

02/07/2020
A federal court differentiated between benefits that are based on seniority and those that are based on work already performed. Only seniority-based benefits continue to accrue while the military member is called to active duty or training.

Employer entitled to know nature of disability

02/07/2020
When the EEOC invites an employer to settle a case alleging disability discrimination, the employer can demand to know the specific disability the applicant or employee has. That’s the conclusion a federal judge reached in a recent case.

Oilfield firms pay $1.2 million to settle race bias charges

02/07/2020
Nabors Corporate Services and its successor, C&J Well Services, both oil-industry firms based in Houston, have agreed to pay a class of nine black workers and one white worker $1.2 million to settle race discrimination and retaliation charges.

DOL: Texas Panhandle pipeline workers got the shaft

02/07/2020
A multinational pipeline repair corporation underpaid employees working on a project in the Texas Panhandle town of Borger, according to investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

Check employee’s EEOC filings for missed deadlines

02/06/2020
Employers should always check EEOC complaints to make sure the deadline was met. If more than 300 days have passed, and the employee still sues, you can usually get the case tossed out.

OK to expect better behavior from managers

02/06/2020
While a subordinate might be excused for a minor rule breach, his supervisor could legitimately be disciplined for breaking the same rule. Just make sure your handbook outlines this greater expectation.

State child labor violation costs $1.2 million

02/06/2020
Warning! State child labor laws can be far more strict than federal rules. If you have teen employees, it’s not enough to train your managers about federal youth employment rules. They need to understand state law, too.

EEOC charge trends contain good news & bad

02/06/2020
Good news and some bad news for employers lurks within the EEOC charge statistics for Fiscal Year 2019.

Good records: Your defense against retaliation suits

02/04/2020
Thoroughly document workplace misdeeds. For example, investigate and act on charges of deceit. Records showing you did everything by the book can defeat a retaliation lawsuit.

DOL celebrates Women’s Bureau 100th anniversary, created in 1920

02/04/2020
The U.S. Department of Labor is commemorating the centennial anniversary of the Women’s Bureau—one of the department’s longest-serving agencies—with a year-long celebration that marks its establishment in 1920.