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New Federal Laws Enacted Through Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 Strengthen Workplace Protections for Pregnant and Nursing Employees Posted on: January 26, 2023 In: Labor & Employment
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act) were enacted through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023. Together, these two Acts establish enhanced protections for childrearing employees and impose additional obligations on employers.
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Tags:
breastfeeding, lactation, pregnancy, working mothers, reasonable accommodation, pwfa, pump for nursing mothers act, ada
Four Tips for Accommodating Mental Health Diagnoses in the Workplace Posted on: September 08, 2022 In: Labor & Employment
Mental health has traditionally been stigmatized more than physical ailments or disabilities. However, in large part due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the stigma surrounding mental health is lessening and discussions around mental health in the workplace have become more commonplace. As such, employers are seeing an increase in mental health diagnosis disclosures and accommodation requests. Here, we share four tips for employers to keep in mind when an employee discloses a mental health diagnosis.
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Tags:
mental health, ada, disability, reasonable accommodation, human resources
Lactation in the Workplace: What Employers Need to Know Posted on: September 23, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
Americans, including many new mothers, are returning to the workplace following pandemic shutdowns. Over 80% of U.S. mothers breastfeed their babies after giving birth, according to a 2016 study from the Centers for Disease Control. Over half of those mothers are still breastfeeding once their babies reach six months old. A complicated tapestry of federal and state laws affects employers of lactating mothers.
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Tags:
breastfeeding, lactation, working mothers, reasonable accommodation, human resources
When Absence Makes the Boss Grow Madder: What to Do With Employees Whose Medical Leave Never Seems to End Posted on: April 22, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
One of the most vexing challenges employers face is how to handle employees who appear to be on an endless medical leave. Is an employer required to continue accommodating such a person, or does there come a point when enough is enough and the employer can lawfully terminate his or her employment? Unfortunately, the answer is not clear-cut. However, if they consider the following points, employers may be able to reduce the likelihood of a lawsuit.
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Tags:
medical leave, fmla, ada, reasonable accommodation, eeoc, human resources
Ignoring Employee ADA Accommodation Requests Can Be Costly – A Cautionary Tale Posted on: February 22, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
As all employers should well know by now, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and many state and local counterparts may require employers to engage in an interactive process in response to a disabled employee’s request for a workplace accommodation. A recent ruling by the First Circuit Court of Appeals illustrates why employers have a very strong financial incentive to be proactive in adopting and rigorously enforcing their disability accommodation policies.
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Tags:
employment law, human resources, ada, reasonable accommodation, 1st circuit
Fourth Circuit Clarifies Employers Not Required to Abandon “Disability Neutral” Competitive Hiring Systems to Reassign Disabled Employee Posted on: February 17, 2021 In: Labor & Employment
The Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) reasonable accommodation duty often creates frustrating uncertainty for employers and employees. Reassignment, a term used in the ADA’s statutory language as an example of a potential reasonable accommodation, is fraught with uncertainty when evaluated by employers and employees as a potential accommodation. The Fourth Circuit recently addressed the reassignment dilemma in Ellege v. Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC.
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Tags:
ada, 4th circuit, reasonable accommodation, reassignment, employment law, human resources