Q.  What is the status of the EEOC’s requirement that we submit pay data with our annual EEO-1 Form?  Also, have there been any updates on the lawsuit blocking the DOL’s rule raising the salary basis for certain non-exempt employees?

A.  As we reported previously, the EEOC, as part of its effort to detect and remedy pay discrimination, amended its EEO-1 Form to require that employers with 100 or more employees submit detailed pay data on their workforce.  On August 29, 2017, the OMB sent a memorandum to the EEOC, staying implementation of this requirement.  Thus, at least for now, employers may limit the information provided on the EEO-1 Form to data on race, ethnicity and gender by occupational category (but not data on pay or hours worked).

For those who missed it while getting an early start to their Labor Day weekend, late last week a federal judge closed the door on regulations that would have significantly changed overtime exemptions after previously leaving that door ajar.

Most employers became very familiar — and concerned — with the…

Q:  My Company wants to institute a drug testing policy that would automatically disqualify an applicant for employment if they test positive for illegal drugs, including medically-prescribed marijuana. Is this legal?

A.  The law regarding the responsibility of employers to accommodate medical marijuana use continues to evolve as more states pass laws allowing for marijuana use for medical and recreational reasons. In Pennsylvania, for example, the law is silent as to whether an employer can rely upon a positive drug test as a reason to reject the applicant for employment. However, the statute lists specific areas in which employers may prohibit employees from working while under the influence of marijuana – operating or controlling government-controlled chemicals or high-voltage electricity, performing duties at heights or in confined spaces; and performing tasks that threaten the life of the employee or his/her coworkers.  By implication, outside these specified areas, employers may be required to accommodate marijuana use, so long as it does not occur at work.

Earlier this month, a widely-recognized Fortune 50 company reached a $1.7 million agreement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to resolve nearly a decade of litigation over the company’s nation-wide policy of discharging workers who do not return from medical leave after 12 months.

While this settlement still requires approval by a federal judge, the litigation itself (and the size and scope of the settlement, which also includes changes to the company’s policy, notice-posting, record-keeping, reporting, and other requirements) should be instructive for employers dealing with a common issue: what to do with employees who are granted a medical leave but cannot return to duty at the end of a set time period.

One of President Trump’s chief agenda items has been immigration enforcement.  While the President’s intent may be to keep out terrorists, remove undocumented foreign nationals, and eliminate fraudulent visa practices, these efforts can also have a tremendous impact on U.S. employers.  One of the ways this administration has ramped up…

Q.  My Company would like to have all applicants for employment submit to a pre-employment physical examination to ensure that they are fit for the position. Is this allowable?

A.  Employers may require an applicant to submit to a pre-employment physical examination, but only after a conditional offer of employment has been made, and even then only under the following conditions:

  • All other candidates in the job category must also be required to submit to the physical;
  • The candidate’s medical history is kept separate from other employment-related records and is treated confidentially; and
  • The results are not used to discriminate against the applicant under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) or other discrimination laws.

Q: What do I need to know about the new New York Paid Family Leave Benefits Law?

A: The New York Paid Family Leave Benefits Law (“NY PFL”) provides employees with paid leave for bonding with a new child, caring for a close relative with a serious health condition, and leave associated with when their spouse, partner, child, or parent is on active military duty or has been notified of an impending call of active duty.

Q: I hire seasonal employees for the summer.  Are there any particular considerations I should be aware of?

A: Seasonal employees can provide much needed support during the summer months.  However, there are certain issues to consider.  First, it is important to clarify upfront that employees are only expected to work for the summer, while at the same time reminding employees that the relationship is at-will and can be ended at any time by either party.

Q.  I heard there is a new law in New York City that covers retail and fast food establishments. What do I need to know?

A.  Effective November 26, 2017, retail and fast food employers will be subject to strict new laws that govern scheduling. The law is meant to provide retail and fast food employees with more predictability around scheduling by requiring employers to provide schedules a certain amount of time in advance, and prohibiting on-call shifts, among other provisions. Retail employers are simply prohibited from violating the law, while the law provides that fast food employers are required to pay employees premiums of varying amounts for some violations.

Q.  Our performance review process seems outdated and I’m not sure what to do. Do you have any suggestions?

A.  Employee performance reviews are probably one of the most loathed aspects of the workplace. Managers hate to do them. Employees hate to receive them.  In some cases, they can do more harm than good.

Consider the employee whose performance is mediocre. He is friends with his supervisor, however, and they often grab a drink after work.  Knowing that a negative performance evaluation may impact the employee’s annual salary increase, the manager looks the other way and gives the employee an evaluation rated as “effective.”