Ver la versión en español aquí After years of good fortune, the 2017 Hurricane Season severely impacted most of South Florida and the Gulf Coast. Even those of us who suffered little or no property damage probably lost power for at least a few days, and many had no electricity for weeks. Businesses had difficulty … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Last week, the CEO of Starbucks, Kevin Johnson, announced the ‘Partner and Family Sick Time’ benefits for all of Starbucks’ U.S. employees. Starbucks is giving employees a number of additional perks, including increased wages, stock grants, six-week paid parental leave for non-birth giving parents and five days of paid … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí In last week’s blog, I highlighted Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement that he’ll be taking 2 months off work following the birth of his daughter later this year (even though, presumably, he would be entitled to 12 weeks under the FMLA, and 4 months under Facebook’s policy). Well, paternity leave … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí More than 3 years ago, I blogged about the unjustified criticism received by then-New York Mets (and now Washington Nationals) baseball player Daniel Murphy when he missed 2 baseball games for the birth of his child. That criticism – much of it voiced by other athletes and sports commentators … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí The stage is set. Super Bowl 51 will arrive in less than two weeks. But will your employees? In January 2016, the Workforce Institute conducted a survey to assess the impact of the Super Bowl on worker productivity the next day. According to the study, 77% of Americans planned … Continue Reading
With Hurricane Matthew expected to hit the east coast this week, Floridians are stocking up on water, batteries, gas, and canned food. It’s important to be prepared and plan ahead for your home and family. For those in Human Resources, it is also a good time to plan ahead for what happens with employees’ pay … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has been busy with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) this week! New FMLA Poster There is a new FMLA General Notice, aka FMLA poster: Employee Rights Under The Family and Medical Leave Act. The substantive … Continue Reading
Our very best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year! Click the image below to view our Labor & Employment Law Department’s holiday message. Feel free to share!… Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Did you watch the Democratic presidential debate on October 13, 2015? If so, you heard the candidates make many promises, among them paid family leave. True, we already have the FMLA, but it only requires unpaid leave, it only applies to employers with 50 or more employees, and it … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí A few weeks ago, my son started school at a local synagogue. When I opened his backpack on Friday, I found a note from his teacher. It read, “In honor of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), please send in a mitzvah note for your child (a good deed … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí For those of us in South Florida, we just braved the first few weeks of school and the associated traffic congestion. Now we have to prepare for Tropical Storm Erika, potentially Hurricane Erika? While we will know more about the storm’s path on late Friday and early Saturday, it is … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí In the movie Horrible Bosses, three friends conspire to murder their bosses when they realize they are standing in the way of their happiness. While most employees would not take it to that extreme (hopefully!), conflicts between employees and their superiors occur. Recently, in Higgins-Williams v. Sutter Medical Foundation, … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Our 25th Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar is a wrap. Wow, 25 years goes by in the blink of an eye! Each year, our seminar continues to grow. Thank you to the attendees who have been with us from the beginning and the newcomers who attended for their first time this year. With over … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Effective March 27, 2015, the FMLA’s definition of “spouse” will expand to include an FMLA-eligible employee in a lawful same-sex or common law marriage, even if the marriage is not recognized in the state in which the employee lives or works. This change will provide all legally married couples … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí How’s this for news? A.K. Verma, an engineer for the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) in India, was recently fired after last showing up for work in December 1990. Verma left work sick one morning in 1990. He requested leave and then sought an extension of his initial leave. … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí We have a time-out circle in my house, and from time to time, my preschool-age son visits the circle. Time-outs separate him from whatever undesirable behavior or activity he is engaged in – such as whining, arguing about brushing his teeth or throwing his toys – and give him … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Last month, I wrote a post about one company’s new “Mail on Holiday” program where emails are automatically deleted during an employee’s vacation. What if, in combination with such a program, an employee could have unlimited vacation time? For most employees, it’s a dream. But if you work for … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí As promised in a previous post, if you were unable to attend the annual seminar in May or attended but need a quick refresher, a few of our most popular sessions are back for encore presentations at our Miami office. Our first session, “New Claim on the Horizon: Family Responsibilities … Continue Reading
On June 20, 2014, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced its proposal to change the FMLA’s definition of “spouse”. According to the DOL, the purpose of the proposed change is to “ensure that same-sex couples who have legally married will have consistent FMLA rights regardless of where they live.” Under the current FMLA regulations, employees … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí The City of Hot Springs, Arkansas, found itself in hot water after not rehiring employee Wayne Jackson following his leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Jackson had surgery and went on leave in January 2010. After using his 9 weeks of sick leave, he took 12 … Continue Reading
Many companies tout themselves as a “flexible workplace.” But what exactly does that mean? Does the company permit employees to have a regular telecommuting schedule or just work from home occasionally? Does the company offer modified start and stop times or compressed workweeks? All of these options and more can be components of a flexible … Continue Reading
I’m enRAGEd (can’t you feel the “rage” in those CAPS). I don’t like to tell people what to do, but you should be enRAGEd as well. Why? Because the New York Mets’ second baseman Daniel Murphy missed the first 2 games of the baseball season – voluntarily. He wasn’t sick. He wasn’t injured. He just … Continue Reading
On June 26, 2013, the United States Supreme Court in United States v. Windsor struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) which had defined “marriage” as a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and “spouse” as a person of the opposite sex who was a husband or a … Continue Reading
The revised regulations for the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) require that records or certifications submitted for FMLA leave that contain genetic information and family medical history are subject to the confidentiality requirements of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA). Click here for a link to GINA’s confidentiality regulations (29 C.F.R. §1635.9). … Continue Reading
