LEL Blog

Geographic Distances Disappear When Determining Remote Workers’ FMLA Eligibility

June 6, 2023Federal Employment Developments, Leaves and Accommodations

One of the more enduring effects of COVID has been the dispersion of employees to jurisdictions that may be far outside the employer’s anticipated commuting distance. Remote work enables organizations to retain employees who relocated for various... Read More..

NYS Has Raised the Stakes for Employers That Penalize Employees for Any of 15 Types of Job-Protected Leaves

May 22, 2023HR Policies, Leaves and Accommodations, New York Employers, Paid Leave Time, Sick and Safe Leave

Employers in New York may be required to provide employees with up to 15 different types of leave, some paid, and some unpaid, some for a few hours, and some extending weeks or even months. Employers are generally aware of certain big categories o... Read More..

Small Businesses Are Easily Ensnared by New NYC Hiring Laws

May 5, 2023Employer Notice Requirements, HR Policies, New York City Employers

Small businesses that use LinkedIn, Indeed or any online platform to recruit for positions must be wary of the ways in which they can easily pull themselves into the requirements of New York City’s new rules related to AI in hiring. This is possi... Read More..

Educate Managers on FMLA/ADA Overlap

April 26, 2023Employer Notice Requirements, Federal Employment Developments, HR Policies, Leaves and Accommodations

Are your managers familiar with the organization’s overlapping obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? Time and again, I see managers conflate the two, and thereby create liability issu... Read More..

NYS Adds New Section, Range of New Provisions to Its Model Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy

April 20, 2023Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, New York City Employers, New York Employers

An updated model sexual harassment prevention policy issued by New York State offers improvements and detractions relative to the original 2018 version, adds new information, and incorporates more recent changes in the law. Among the greatest imp... Read More..

Rethink Employee Confidentiality Clauses as Fed Agency Restricts Scope Nationwide

April 17, 2023Connecticut Employers, Employee Relations, Employment Agreements, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers

How do you keep your core business interests and the goings on at your organization confidential when it feels like those strictures are under attack from multiple government entities? It may be time for you to redefine your priorities with respec... Read More..

Workplace Investigations: Anticipate Cognitive Overload

September 7, 2023Employee Relations, Workplace Investigations, Workplace Training

Sometimes you just need to let things gel in your mind for a while. I came to this conclusion in my investigations... Read More..

Workplace Breastfeeding Laws Offer General Consistency with Local Nuance

February 14, 2023Connecticut Employers, Employee Relations, Employer Notice Requirements, Harassment/Discrimination, HR Policies, New Jersey Employers, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Tri-State Employers, Wage and Hour Laws

Breastfeeding protections have gone mainstream. Through the magic of a budget spending bill, nursing employees in workplaces throughout the country now have legal protections that will afford them break time and access to spaces outside of toilet... Read More..

Pay Transparency Laws Can Help Workers, But Not in the Way Advertised

February 10, 2023Connecticut Employers, Employer Notice Requirements, New York City Employers, New York Employers, Wage and Hour Laws

Led by the rationale proffered by legislatures in support of pay transparency laws, I have been thinking about them from the wrong perspective. Promoted as a means of closing the gender wage gap, I have been vocal in my criticisms that the laws w... Read More..