workplace policies

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Employers need to be prepared to post required workplace injury and illness information by February 1, 2025.

Pursuant to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, unless an industry-specific exemption applies, employers with 10 or more employees must keep a Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (i.e., OSHA Form 300) and must complete an Injury and Illness Incident Report (i.e., OSHA Form 301) for each recordable injury or illness.Continue Reading Approaching Deadline to Post Last Year’s Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses

On September 4, 2024, Governor Kathy Hochul signed S8358C, the New York Retail Worker Safety Act (RWSA), into law. Through the RWSA, New York state seeks to address growing threats of workplace violence and fears among retail workers regarding their safety in the workplace. New York joins a handful of other states, including California, which have passed similar legislation.Continue Reading New York Governor Signs Legislation to Protect Retail Workers from Workplace Violence

In the California case of Okonowsky v. Garland, a male supervisor in a federal prison (a lieutenant) used his private Instagram account to post sexually offensive content about a female prison psychologist.  The District Court dismissed the psychologist’s hostile work environment claim, holding that the posts occurred entirely outside the workplace, were made on the lieutenant’s personal Instagram account, and were not sent or otherwise displayed to the psychologist.  The Ninth Circuit reversed the dismissal of the Title VII claim and found that, in view of the generally permanent nature of the sexual posts and the references to the workplace on the Instagram account, the psychologist’s work environment could have been made hostile, especially since she had to interact with the lieutenant on a regular basis, and despite the fact that the lieutenant’s conduct occurred “off-site.”Continue Reading Recent Judicial Decisions Highlight the Importance of Anti-Harassment Training

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On April 29, 2024, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC” or the “Commission”) published its “Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace” (the “Guidance”), which is the first harassment guidance issued by the EEOC since 1999.  (See here.)  Harassment claims continue to be prevalent in the workplace.  During the five fiscal…

As of November 26, 2023, the New York City Human Rights Law makes discrimination on the basis of an individual’s height or weight unlawful.  Accordingly, an employer may not discharge or refuse to hire an individual, or provide an individual with less advantageous terms, conditions, or benefits of employment on the basis of actual or perceived height or weight. Continue Reading New York City Bans Employers from Creating Height and Weight Requirements

Starting January 1, 2024, a new Illinois law will require employers in the greater Chicago metropolitan area with 50 or more covered employees within one mile of a fixed-route public transit service to provide their full-time employees with pre-tax public transit benefits.  This type of benefit program allows eligible employees to elect pre-tax reductions from their pay to purchase transit passes for use in commuting to and from work.  Transit passes covered by the program include fare cards and passes for public transportation. Continue Reading New Law Requires Greater Chicago Metropolitan Area Employers to Provide Pre-Tax Transit Benefits

In 2023, New York State and New York City amended several labor and employment laws about which employers should be aware to ensure that their policies and procedures remain compliant.  For more detailed information, check out the article here.Continue Reading New York State and City Labor and Employment Updates