Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed legislation last week that will require Illinois employers to inform workers and job seekers about their use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology in making employment decisions. The new law, known as H.B. 3773, also prohibits the use of AI that leads to discriminatory practices against employees. The bill offers
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U.S. Supreme Court Addresses 10(j) Injunction Standard in NLRB Case
In an 8-1 decision authored by Justice Clarence Thomas, the United States Supreme Court settled the conflict among circuits in setting the standard for issuing 10(j) injunctions sought in unfair labor practice proceedings. In Starbucks v. M. Kathleen McKinney, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Starbucks who was seeking to overturn a temporary…
Points Matter: Absenteeism Policy Overcomes Racial Discrimination Allegations in Fifth Circuit
As this blog has consistently noted in the past, one of the most effective ways to combat unfounded allegations in the workplace is diligent record-keeping. Many employers have “point-based” disciplinary policies in which certain violations earn an employee points that are reflected in their personnel record. Once an employee reaches a certain level of points…
Ultimatum on Ultimate Employment Decisions: Fifth Circuit Expands Standard on Adverse Employment Decisions Under Title VII
If you are an employer covered by the federal Fifth Circuit (Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi), you are probably familiar with the “ultimate employment decision” standard: In determining whether an employee suffered an adverse action under Title VII, you look to only “ultimate” decisions (e.g., hiring, termination, non-promotion). The landscape has just changed. In…
Bueller? Bueller? EEOC Examining Attendance Policies for ADA Violations
Do you have a “no fault” attendance policy or some other way in which employees get points for absences? If so, be careful. A recent Eleventh Circuit matter, EEOC v. Eberspaecher North America, Inc. suggests that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) wants to check out those policies to see if there is an ADA…
Brain Tumor: A Little Too Little, Too Late — Sixth Circuit Addresses Late Disclosure of Disability
Employers sometimes face difficult decisions after learning of an employee’s disability. What if you learn of a disability after ongoing repeated employment deficiencies or even after a disciplinary or discharge decision already has been made? Do you stay on course for the discharge? Add more time (give them another chance)? Reverse course completely? As with…
The Handbook Tale: Beware the Importance of Your Paperwork
Is your employee handbook a binding contract? A recent case from the Alabama Supreme Court, Davis v. City of Montevallo, says sometimes it is. Many employers issue handbooks to set forth guidelines for what employers expect of employees, and also what employees can expect from their jobs. In at-will employment states, companies think of…
Run Over by the Failure to Train: Fifth Circuit Holds Inadequate Training May Be an Adverse Employment Action
For employers, figuring out what constitutes an adverse employment action under Title VII may seem elusive. In general, an adverse employment action is an ultimate employment decision that affects job duties, compensation or benefits. There are obvious ones like termination, demotion and failure to promote. But what about ones like shift changes, days off and other more…
Don’t Drop a Vein: Sixth Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Surgical Assistant’s Age Suit
Employment lawyers always win war story contests at cocktail parties. Facts like the ones in Davis v. ULP provide ample fodder for those type of conversations.
Performance Problems or Age Discrimination?
The University of Louisville Physicians (ULP) hired Frank Davis as a surgical assistant. After 10 months on the job, Davis’s supervisor, Lisa Motley, met with…
Central Park Karen’s Discrimination Case Dismissed: Learning from Responding to Viral Videos
Can a social media firestorm be the basis for an employment decision? Although it may seem like a lifetime ago, in the spring of 2020, the internet’s attention turned to a viral video of a white woman in Central Park who called 911 about a black man who she said was threatening her life. Enter…