Cannabis Employers Can’t Escape Wage Claims, Says Court

Glass jar full of Cannabis Sativa for sale at a market stall.

A federal appeals court ruled an employee for a cannabis business could bring a claim for federal wage and hour violations against his employer despite the fact that another federal law continues to criminalize the drug. The September 20, 2019 ruling from the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals washes away a defense that other businesses… Continue reading Cannabis Employers Can’t Escape Wage Claims, Says Court

Sexual Harassment Training Now Required for 20% of U.S. Workers

Businessman embracing his pretty secretary at work, she looking at his hand

Two years into the #MeToo movement, an unprecedented number of American workers are required to receive mandatory sexual harassment training, the result of a handful of new state regulations aimed at creating safer workplaces. Now one in five workers in the U.S. lives in a state that requires employers to offer sexual harassment training, up… Continue reading Sexual Harassment Training Now Required for 20% of U.S. Workers

More Workers to Qualify for Overtime Pay

Tx judge skeptical of overtime pay rule

An additional 1.3 million Americans are set to qualify for overtime pay under a retooled Labor Department regulation completed Tuesday. The rule would increase the annual salary threshold below which workers generally qualify for time-and-a-half pay for logging more than 40 hours a week. The revised rule affects workers and employers in industries such as… Continue reading More Workers to Qualify for Overtime Pay

Gay Softball League Leads to Major Supreme Court Job-Bias Case

Supreme Court on SEC fraud cases

Gerald Bostock says he’s convinced his participation in a gay softball league was why he was fired from his job running the child-advocate program at the juvenile court in Clayton County, Georgia. The Atlanta-area county’s decision sent “a homophobic message that we do not approve of your sexual orientation,” Bostock said. But Bostock might never… Continue reading Gay Softball League Leads to Major Supreme Court Job-Bias Case

Beazley Launches Title IX Coverage for Educational Institutions

Beazley on cyber premiums

Specialist insurer Beazley has launched today a comprehensive policy covering infringements of Title IX, the federal law prohibiting discrimination based on sex in any public education program. The policy provides coverage for employment practices liability (EPL) and sexual misconduct & molestation liability (SML) for educational institutions in the US that receive federal funding. Lawsuits brought… Continue reading Beazley Launches Title IX Coverage for Educational Institutions

Lloyd’s of London Broker Fires Manager Who Sent Harassing Email

Lloyd's underwriting profit

A top Lloyd’s of London insurance brokerage, Guy Carpenter & Co., fired a senior vice president for sending a sexually explicit email about a female colleague, one of the first dismissals to come to light since the industry began cracking down on such behavior early this year. The firm also disciplined two other people over… Continue reading Lloyd’s of London Broker Fires Manager Who Sent Harassing Email

McDonald’s Mandates Anti-Harassment Training at U.S. Restaurants

McDonalds lawsuit

McDonald’s Corp. intends to train all employees at its U.S. restaurants on workplace antiharassment matters after facing criticism over its handling of the issue. The burger company said Wednesday that it is implementing training beginning in October for its roughly 850,000 employees from line cooks to managers at nearly 14,000 U.S. restaurants. More companies are… Continue reading McDonald’s Mandates Anti-Harassment Training at U.S. Restaurants

Ford Workers Who Sued Over Sexual Harassment Face Setback

CA Supreme Court ruling on asbestos case

A federal judge in Chicago ruled last week that a lawsuit brought by female Ford employees over sexual misconduct at two Chicago plants cannot proceed as a class-action suit. The ruling was a setback for the plaintiffs, who said they had endured groping, vulgarities and sexual violence despite the company’s efforts to change a longstanding… Continue reading Ford Workers Who Sued Over Sexual Harassment Face Setback

Jury Awards Former LA Times Sports Columnist $15.4M for Workplace Discrimination

CA Supreme Court ruling on asbestos case

A Los Angeles jury on Monday awarded former LA Times sports columnist T.J. Simers $15.4 million in damages against the newspaper for discrimination against him because of his age and disability. It was the second time a jury had considered whether Simers should receive damages related to his claim that after 22 years at The… Continue reading Jury Awards Former LA Times Sports Columnist $15.4M for Workplace Discrimination

Gov. Cuomo Signs Tougher Workplace Harassment Law

Manager putting his hand on the shoulder of his secretary, at the office

Gov. Andrew Cuomo changed the legal standard for workplace harassment claims in New York, a move that advocates said was long overdue and could result in more litigation against employers. Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, signed a law Monday that would categorize conduct as harassment even if it wasn’t “severe or pervasive” — the previous threshold… Continue reading Gov. Cuomo Signs Tougher Workplace Harassment Law