Illinois Expands Unpaid Child Bereavement Leave to Cover Additional Family Members, LossesIllinois has enacted amendments to the Child Bereavement Leave Act, expanding the law’s scope and renaming it the “Family Bereavement Leave Act” (FBLA). The amendments are effective January 1, 2023, and the two major purposes are to: (1) expand the definition of family members covered by FBLA; and (2) include fertility-related losses in the acceptable reasons an... Continue ReadingJune 13, 2022 |
New Guidance Issued by Department of Labor Regarding Mental Health and the FMLAOn May 25, 2022, during Mental Health Awareness Month, the Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the Department of Labor, the agency responsible for enforcing the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), issued Fact Sheet # 28O and related Frequently Asked Questions, which discuss mental health and leaves of absence under the FMLA. The publications... Continue ReadingJune 3, 2022 |
Amendment to Washington State Paid Family and Medical Leave Act’s Waiting Period Benefits EmployeesThe Washington Employment Security Department has amended the “waiting period” regulation, WAC 192-500-185, for certain employees who successfully apply to the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program. Under Washington’s PFML, the “waiting period” falls during the first seven consecutive calendar days beginning with the Sunday of the first week that an eligible employee... Continue ReadingJune 1, 2022 |
Rhode Island Legalizes Recreational Marijuana and Protects Off-Duty UseRhode Island Governor Dan McKee signed a bill legalizing recreational marijuana in the state on May 25, 2022. The new law took effect immediately. Adults age 21 and older now can possess up to an ounce of cannabis, may grow cannabis within their primary residence (up to certain limits) and possess up to 10 ounces...May 26, 2022 |
EEOC, DOJ Release Expectations on Employers’ Use of Technology, AI for Employment DecisionsFor decades, employers have used technology to help decision-making, from hiring to performance bonuses. While seemingly taking human biases out of the equation, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have voiced concerns over potential disability discrimination from the use of technology. Find out more here. Continue ReadingMay 19, 2022 |
Drug Overdoses in 2021 at Highest Level on Record According to CDC, Driven By OpioidsThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published data on May 11, 2022 concluding that drug overdoses in 2021 reached the highest levels on record. CDC stated that an estimated 107,622 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in 2021, largely driven by opioids. This figure is a 15% increase over the number...May 11, 2022 |
Delaware Paid Family and Medical Leave Law SignedOn May 10, 2022, Delaware Governor John Carney signed the Healthy Delaware Families Act, which provides up to 12 weeks of leave and benefits to covered employees for certain parental, family caregiving, and medical reasons. Read more here. Continue ReadingMay 11, 2022 |
San Francisco, Los Angeles District Attorneys Suing Law Firm for Alleged Fraudulent ADA Title III SuitsSan Francisco City and County District Attorney Chesa Boudin and Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón have filed a lawsuit in the California Superior Court in San Francisco accusing the Potter Handy LLP law firm of filing thousands of “boilerplate, cut-and-paste federal-court lawsuits that falsely assert its clients have standing under the Americans with... Continue ReadingMay 6, 2022 |
Mandatory Bereavement Leave Again Being Considered by the California LegislatureIn 2020, the California legislature considered a bill in which employers would be required to provide employees with bereavement leave, but the legislation didn’t make it to the Governor’s desk. Assembly Bill (AB) 1949 reintroduces the idea of mandatory bereavement leave and expands the allowance from the 2020 proposal. AB 1949 would make it an unlawful employment... Continue ReadingMay 5, 2022 |
New Paid Family Leave Laws Sprout in Maryland, District of Columbia, Virginia RegionBoth Maryland and Virginia have joined the District of Columbia in enacting laws relating to paid family and medical leave for private-sector workers. Following in the footsteps of the District of Columbia, the Maryland law will create a mandatory statewide benefit that will be funded by payroll taxes. In contrast, the Virginia law will create... Continue ReadingApril 25, 2022 |
Practices
Services
- Advice and Counsel
- Affirmative Action, OFCCP and Government Contract Compliance
- Class Actions and Complex Litigation
- Collegiate and Professional Sports
- Corporate Diversity Counseling
- Corporate Governance and Internal Investigations
- Disability, Leave and Health Management
- Employee Benefits
- ERISA Complex Litigation
- Immigration
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Background Checks
- Biden’s Impact on Employers
- Biometrics
- California Advice and Counsel
- California Class and PAGA Action
- California Consumer Privacy Act
- COVID-19
- Data Analytics
- Disability Access Litigation and Compliance
- Diversity and Inclusion Efforts that Really Work
- Drug Testing and Substance Abuse Management
All Offices