Part 1 of 2: My Sit-Down Interview With Former EEOC General Counsel David Lopez
According to a recent decision of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), employers may prohibit employers from wearing any visible sign of political, ideological, or religious conviction in the workplace under narrow...more
I am an HR manager for a boutique beauty supply shop based in Atlanta, Georgia. We are planning to expand into new storefronts in both San Diego, California and Brooklyn, New York. We have a standard grooming policy because...more
A new amendment to the New York State Human Rights Law expressly prohibits workplace discrimination based on religious attire, clothing, and facial hair. New York employers should review their current policies and work with...more
From workplace dress policies to collecting an employee’s fingerprints, as we wind down 2017, here’s a recap of new workplace laws—and helpful reminders—that affected Illinois employers this year: Updates to the Illinois...more
On August 11, 2017, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law Public Act 100-100, known as the “Religious Garb Law.” The law amends the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”) by clarifying the scope of protection for...more
Security Firm Forced Out Guard for Complaining About Racial Insults, Federal Agency Charges - BALTIMORE - MVM Inc., an Ashburn, Va.-based diversified security services firm, violated federal law when it stopped...more
Employee Not Permitted to Wear Skirt Instead of Pants, Federal Agency Charges - DETROIT - Sleneem Enterprises, LLC, a franchise operator of Tim Horton's Café and Bake Shop in Romulus, Mich., violated federal law by...more
Michael Schmidt, Vice Chair of Cozen O’Connor’s Labor & Employment Department, discusses current employment law news, trends, developments and guest analysis. This episode presents the first of two parts of a timely and...more
The highest court of the European Union recently issued two judgments allowing employers to ban the visible wearing of political, philosophical or religious signs at the workplace (Judgment of the Court of Justice of the...more
House for Whistleblowers Act - Enacted Legislation - The House for Whistleblowers Act that has become effective as of July 1, 2016, introduces legal protection for whistleblowers and provides for the formation...more
On March 14, 2017, the Court of Justice of the European Union (“ECJ”) issued a significant ruling clarifying when an employer may prohibit employees from wearing visible signs of their religious beliefs in the workplace. The...more
Last minute decider – incapacity dismissal without considering new evidence was disability discrimination - The Court of Appeal in O'Brien v Bolton St Catherine's Academy has reinstated a Tribunal decision that the...more
The U.S. Supreme Court just issued its much-awaited religious discrimination decision in EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch, 575 U.S. ___ (June 1, 2015) (No. 14-86). Samantha Elauf applied for a job with A&F and was denied the job...more
Federal anti-discrimination laws (“Title VII”) prohibit an employer from refusing to hire a candidate to avoid accommodating a suspected, but unconfirmed religious practice, according to a recent United States Supreme Court...more
Employer’s Motive, Not Confirmed Knowledge Of Accommodation Need, Is Basis Of Religious Accommodation Violation - Federal anti-discrimination laws (“Title VII”) prohibit an employer from refusing to hire a candidate to...more
On June 1, 2015, the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in EEOC v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores in which it held that a job applicant can experience religious discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act...more
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) prohibits employers from, among other things, refusing to hire an applicant because of his or her religion or religious practice. As a general rule, employers must...more
On Monday, June 1, 2015, the United States Supreme Court reversed a judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit which had granted Abercrombie & Fitch (“Abercrombie”) summary judgment in a religious...more
The U.S. Supreme Court recently held that an employer cannot escape liability for religious discrimination under Title VII by arguing that it did not have actual knowledge of an individual's need for a religious...more
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc. resulted in an expected outcome but provided an unexpectedly small amount of practical guidance for employers. ...more
Easter Sunday just passed, so it is official—spring is here and, before we realize, summer will have arrived. With summer comes warmer weather and trips to the pool, lake, or beach. People exchange their jackets, sweaters,...more
Halloween celebrations in the workplace can be a treat for employees but the trick is in the employer’s execution. Costumes present a particularly tricky issue because well-intentioned “creativity” can quickly deteriorate...more
At the opening of its new term last week, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s appeal of a lower court decision dismissing a Title VII claim against the Abercrombie clothing...more
Last week, the Supreme Court announced that it will decide whether Abercrombie & Fitch’s refusal to hire a woman wearing a Muslim hijab (that they said conflicted with their dress code), constituted religious discrimination....more
Religious discrimination charges filed with the EEOC have increased over the years, rising to 3,721 private sector discrimination charges in fiscal year 2013. An EEOC religious discrimination charge resulted in the United...more