Last week, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission published its nationwide procedures for respondent position statements and responses.  The procedures described are designed to create consistency across the EEOC’s 53 regional offices. Also included is a link to the EEOC’s Digital Charge System, which allows employers to electronically submit position statements and responses to the agency’s requests for information.  All regional offices have now adopted the new electronic system.

• A jury awarded a former U.S. Steel employee $5.5 million after the company refused to continue its accommodation of his 30-pound lifting restriction.
• Robin Shea gave her advice on the causal connection element of retaliation claims.
• A franchisee of Cheddars Casual Café will pay $450,000 to resolve sexual harassment claims brought by the EEOC on behalf of 15 employees.

• Through the use of big data tools, employers can now predict the pregnancies and illnesses of employees – but should they?
• Talent Management identified eight things to consider before selecting an HR technology vendor.
• TalentCulture gave advice on how to improve technology compliance by making compliance a pillar of an organization’s culture.
• Meghan M. Biro asked if technology will replace HR.
• The HR Tech Europe blog pondered whether wearables at work are for big data or big brother.

• The American Bar Association published its summary of influential FMLA cases from 2015.
• The Harvard Business Review published a step-by-step guide on how to terminate someone.