Articles and Blogs

On August 23, 2016, eight plaintiffs jointly sued the federal Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) disputing the definition of the term “sex” in recent HHS regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act’s (“ACA”) non-discrimination provisions. A link to the Complaint is here.  The HHS regulations, which, among other things, protect patients who receive... READ MORE

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) recently published resource documents on two hot topics in the labor and employment world: bathroom access for transgender employees and leaves of absence for disabled workers. The EEOC notes that its resource documents do not create new policy, are not voted on by the Commission and are... READ MORE

On August 20, 2015, in Nobach v. Woodland Village Nursing Center, Inc., the Fifth Circuit held that terminating an employee for a refusal to pray the Rosary does not violate Title VII when there is no evidence that the employer was aware of the employee’s conflicting religious beliefs. In light of this determination, the... READ MORE

On July 1, 2015, new legislation aimed at helping victims of stalking and domestic violence maintain their employment went into effect. Specifically, House Enrolled Act (“HEA”) 1159, codified at I.C. 22-5-7 et seq., prohibits Indiana employers from terminating an employee based on: (1) the filing, by the employee, for a petition for a protective... READ MORE

On April 16, 2015, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) announced the issuance of a proposed rule that would describe how Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) applies to employer wellness programs that are part of group health plans. The proposed rule was officially published in the Federal Register on... READ MORE

Last year, we blogged about a decision issued by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over courts in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee, that held that allowing a disabled employee to telecommute could be a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Last week, however, that decision was reversed by... READ MORE

Yesterday, March 25, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court published its long-awaited opinion in the case of Peggy Young v. United Parcel Service. The issue in this case was whether an employer must reasonably accommodate a pregnant worker as it does other workers who are not pregnant. The Court vacated the Fourth Circuit’s decision affirming summary... READ MORE

The Department of Labor published regulations last week that will make it unlawful for federal contractors to discriminate in employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.  The regulations will become effective in early April, 120 days after being published in the Federal Register.  READ MORE

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on July 14, 2014 issued Enforcement Guidance on Pregnancy Discrimination and Related Issues, along with Questions and Answers about the guidance and a Fact Sheet for Small Businesses. This is the first comprehensive update of the EEOC’s guidance on the subject of discrimination against pregnant workers since 1983. This... READ MORE

“Sicker than a Dog” Under the ADA, an employer is required to “reasonably accommodate” a “qualified individual with a disability.”  In this recent case, the court had occasion to consider whether an open-ended request for leave was “reasonable” when it was made by an employee who claimed to be “sicker than a dog” and... READ MORE