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BT Currents - Hot Topics in Employment Law

12 Jan Is Sexual Orientation Discrimination Really Sex Discrimination? The EEOC Wants Courts To Think So

EEOC | Doug Oldham

  Although sexual orientation is not specifically listed as a protected class under Title VII, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is fighting to expand the law through judicial interpretation to protect sexual orientation. The EEOC’s latest efforts came in an amicus brief filed in Burrows v. College of Central Florida, an Eleventh Circuit case in which the plaintiff claims she lost her job because she is a lesbian.   The EEOC makes the following arguments in its attempt to persuade the court that sexual…

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08 Jan What You Need to Know: Open Carry Law Brings About Changes for Employer Handgun Policies

Employment Lessons | Doug Haloftis

  The Texas Legislature recently expanded the rights of licensed handgun owners to openly carry their firearms. This right is in addition to the already existing right of licensed handgun owners to carry concealed firearms. The so-called “open carry” law went into effect on Jan. 1 in Texas.   Texas employers who desire to prohibit all—customers, employees, contractors, or vendors— who enter their premises from carrying licensed concealed or open carry handguns and who post the statutorily required notices in English and Spanish (with the…

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08 Jan Permanent Lifting Restrictions and the ADA

EEOC | BT Currents

  Permanent lifting restrictions can be a headache for employers when navigating through the accommodation process under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In determining the reasonableness of accommodating these restrictions, employers should review the essential functions of the position, whether it has provided similar accommodations, and whether such an accommodation could be provided permanently. All of this can be time consuming and difficult and can result in litigation if done wrong. However, a recent decision by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals provides some…

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06 Jan New York City Protects Caregivers Under Expanded Law

Employment Discrimination | Koryn McHone

  New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) signed a city council bill (Int. No. 0108-2014-A) on Jan. 5, which expanded the protections of the New York City Human Rights Law against employment discrimination to include “caregiver status” as a protected category. The bill prohibits any employee or job candidate who “provides direct and ongoing care for a minor child or a care recipient” from being subject to adverse employment actions by employers, employment agencies, and labor organizations (and any employees or agents of…

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05 Jan New Year, New Laws: Welcome to 2016 in California

Fair Labor Standards Act | BT Currents

  In true California fashion, new measures that took effect on Jan. 1 will benefit millions of workers while posing additional challenges for employers. Some are broad, while others have a narrower focus. Below is a round-up of the notable New Year’s laws:   Minimum Wage The state minimum wage increased to $10 perhour. The $10 rate is the highest minimum in the nation—don’t worry Californians, Massachusetts also adopted this rate. For some comparison, the federal minimum is $7.25 perhour. Keep in mind that with the…

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