Photo of Katharine Parker

The past several weeks have seen a flurry of “ban the box” developments, including:

  • The passage of a law in Portland, Oregon banning the box for private employers;
  • The page of amendments expanding the ban the box law in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and
  • The publication of regulations regarding New Jersey’s ban the box law.

As the laws governing the treatment of pregnant employees and new mothers continues to evolve, one recent decision from the United States District Court for the Northern District Alabama highlights the complexities that arise from the patchwork of federal laws that apply to employees during and after pregnancy.

Facts

The plaintiff in Hicks v. City

The Jersey City Council voted to expand the scope of the City’s existing sick leave ordinance yesterday.  Under the Ordinance as amended, employers with less than 10 employees now will be required to provide employees with up to 24 hours of paid sick leave and up to 16 hours of unpaid sick leave per year.