Archives: Policies

New DC Law Protects Marijuana Users from Adverse Employment Actions

By Katherine Ondeck Kent and Todd Lebowitz on July 25, 2022 Posted in Policies

Washington, D.C., employers will soon be prohibited from disciplining, terminating or refusing to hire individuals based on marijuana use or a positive marijuana test. The Cannabis Employment Protections Amendment Act of 2022 will take effect on July 13, 2023, or shortly thereafter. The law, however, contains a few exceptions. Employers will not be in violation … Continue Reading

NYS Employers: Updated Sexual Harassment Postings and Policies Are Required!

By Delores Chichi and Fanny Ferdman on July 22, 2022 Posted in Policies

Employers should be aware that New York state has passed a law that requires employers to reference an established hotline in any material – including handbooks, policies and workplace postings – they post or provide to employees regarding sexual harassment. The hotline is intended to enable individuals experiencing workplace harassment to receive pro bono counsel … Continue Reading

Colorado Shores Up Employee Protections for Criminal History Inquiries, Wage Theft and Pay Equity During Busy 2019 Legislative Session

By Nathan A. Schacht on June 14, 2019 Posted in Policies, Wage and Hour

Colorado’s 2019 legislative session was busy, including producing a trio of new employment laws that tighten regulations on employers in the areas of pay equity, criminal history inquiries and wage theft. Employers face comprehensive changes and should review pay practices, application processes, advancement and promotion policies, and employee record-keeping to comply with these new laws.… Continue Reading

California Supreme Court: Payroll Companies Not Liable to Client’s Employees for Unpaid Wages

By Joseph S. Persoff on February 14, 2019 Posted in Policies, Supreme Court

The California Supreme Court has cut off another avenue for employees to sue payroll provider companies for unpaid wages. California courts have previously found that employees cannot sue a payroll company under a theory that the company is the “employer.” In a new decision, the California Supreme Court held that employees cannot sue payroll companies for unpaid … Continue Reading

Probationary Periods: A Window Worth Closing

By Marc Antonetti and Jacqlyn Rovine on January 10, 2017 Posted in Policies

Probationary periods are a tool long used to test the viability of job candidates. They can provide a window into an employee’s suitability and qualifications for a position. In an economy that continues to have high unemployment, recent graduates, those looking to change careers and those interested in a specific company may be particularly open … Continue Reading

Pokémon – A Wake-up Call to Employers on the Importance of Electronic Use Policies

By Caroline M. Landt on August 8, 2016 Posted in Policies

As my 11-year-old begs to borrow my mobile device to catch a Pokémon, I become one more Generation X member unwittingly joining the millions of millennials participating in an augmented reality game. For employers, Pokémon demonstrated that an app can rapidly gain enormous popularity, resulting in significant portions of the workforce downloading the app on … Continue Reading

When Cupid’s Arrow Strikes the Workplace

By Adam Seldon on February 10, 2016 Posted in Policies

With Valentine’s Day approaching, love is in the air, and employers need to be mindful of the risks associated with workplace romance. While these risks exist year-round, the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday may trigger inappropriate workplace behavior that workers might not otherwise engage in throughout the year. Employers should use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity … Continue Reading

No Number, No Job: Classic Rock Song Titles Explain It Best

By Todd Lebowitz on February 5, 2015 Posted in Policies

When job applicant Don Yeager refused to provide a social security number to his prospective employer, he was shown the door. He sued, claiming that identifying himself by a number violated his religious beliefs. In a short decision, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that his claim was properly dismissed. Yeager v. FirstEnergy, Jan. … Continue Reading