SHRM

The Chicago Board of Education recently defeated an employee’s lawsuit over lactation accommodations required under the Illinois Human Rights Act and the state’s Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act, which are similar to the requirements in the federal Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA).

This year’s legislative session in California was busy, and 2024 could be even more hectic. Here are 10 employment-related bills that could reappear next year after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed them this year.

An employee who claimed her supervisor frequently leered at her, once hugged her after shaking hands with male employees, and told her one time her to stay off of pornography sites at work could not go forward with her claim of sexual harassment.

A police officer for Sisseton, S.D., who was hired as an at-will employee could not bring a due process claim under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 or the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The short interval between an employee’s request for a medical accommodation and his termination was sufficient to show causation in the early stages of his discrimination and retaliation claims.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced it will extend the effective date of its joint employer rule to Feb. 26, 2024, to facilitate resolution of legal challenges to the rule.

A strong safety culture depends on much more than adopting a workplace safety policy or ensuring Occupational Safety and Health Administration compliance. Developing a culture of safety requires leadership, listening and a team effort.

Lawmakers and union leaders debated the broad economic impacts of labor unions at a Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Nov. 14, highlighting the notable increase in union petitions and striking this year. The debate grew heated with disputes from past interactions coming up again.

Starbucks recently announced a set of pay and benefit enhancements, some of which will not be available to unionized workers. The coffee retail giant has come under fire from federal regulators for some of its strategies to avoid unionization by its baristas.

With more employers monitoring workers with cameras and GPS trackers, federal regulators and states have taken steps to strengthen employee privacy rights.

Employees may be required to financially support unions in Michigan a bit sooner than originally anticipated. The Michigan legislature became the first state in almost 60 years to repeal it’s right-to-work law earlier this year.

An employee who alleged that he was fired after complaining to HR about unhealthy and unsafe working conditions could not go forward with his claims for unlawful retaliation and wrongful termination because his employer would have terminated him for a legitimate, independent reason, even absent his complaints, a California appeals

Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (MNDOLI) recently issued guidance in the form of answers to frequently asked questions, a factsheet, and a video overview of the state’s sick and safe leave law. Employers must follow the sick and safe leave requirements most favorable to their employees.

General Motors (GM) workers have narrowly approved the deal the United Auto Workers (UAW) union recently negotiated with the carmaker.

On Nov. 9, 2023, Chicago passed an ordinance repealing its long-standing paid sick leave ordinance, replacing it with the new Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave ordinance, effective Dec. 31.