As religious discrimination charges have increased steadily, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a new question-and-answer guide and accompanying fact sheet on religious dress and grooming in the workplace, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to improve employer awareness and compliance. The guide answers sample employers’ questions about how federal employment
Massachusetts and Vermont Paid Sick Time
Bills pending in Massachusetts and Vermont mandating paid sick time follow the precedent set by Rhode Island and Connecticut, potentially spreading the requirement through New England. New York and the District of Columbia recently also adopted similar requirements, and paid sick leave bills are pending, or campaigns to require them are under way, in
City Council Expands New York City Earned Sick Time Act
Yesterday, the New York City Council passed an amendment to the New York City Earned Sick Time Act (the Act) expanding its coverage in several significant ways as of April 1, 2014. This alert summarizes the amended Act, which requires virtually all New York City employers to provide mandatory paid or unpaid sick leave to
Supreme Court’s Sandifer Decision Is Not Just About Changing Clothes
In Sandifer et al. v. United States Steel Corp., a unanimous Supreme Court clarified the meaning of “changing clothes” found in Section 203(o) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA” or “Act”), holding that “changing clothes” includes putting on (donning) and taking off (doffing) protective gear. Section 203(o) of the FLSA allows employers and unions