Retail Labor and Employment Law

Retail Labor and Employment Law

News, Updates, and Insights for Retail Employers

Monthly Archives: April 2012

EEOC’s Amended ADEA Regulation Raises the Bar for Employers’ RFOA Defense

by Carrie Corcoran, Matthew T. Miklave, and Susan Gross Sholinsky

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has issued a long-awaited final rule (“Final Rule”), which amends the regulation on the “reasonable factors other than age” (“RFOA”) defense available under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”). The Final Rule is available at 29 C.F.R. Part 1625. The EEOC previously published proposed rules regarding the RFOA defense on March 31, 2008, and then on February 18, 2010. The Final Rule takes into account public comments received on those proposals.

Unfortunately for employers, the Final Rule was not … Continue Reading

Should Employers and Facebook Be Friends?

by Ian Gabriel Nanos

Like it or not, we live in a digital-age, and how people choose to define themselves is often readily showcased on social networking sites such as Facebook.  Given the candid manner many individuals express themselves on their social networking profiles, it’s only natural that employers have started to pay attention.  Why wouldn’t they? Employers want to pick the right person for the job and that their employees do not disparage the company or act in a manner that threatens workplace security.  But when news spread that a few employers were demanding access to applicants’ on-line profiles, … Continue Reading

New York’s Highest Court Upholds Oral Promise of Guaranteed Bonus

by John F. Fullerton III

The New York Court of Appeals recently upheld a jury verdict in favor of a brokerage firm employee who claimed that his employer breached an oral promise (and violated New York wage law) when it failed to pay him a guaranteed bonus of $175,000, to be paid at the end of his first year of employment.  The discussions with the hiring manager regarding compensation were not put in writing.  Nevertheless, the employee subsequently signed an acknowledgment in the formal employment application that  “compensation and benefits are at will and can be terminated, with or without Continue Reading

Men Must be Allowed the Same Child Care Leave as Women

by Peter M. Panken and Jennifer A. Goldman

Gary Ehrhard, an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration asked for Family Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) leave to care for his children, 8 and 10 years old. Because they did not suffer from a serious health condition, he was denied FMLA leave, and he claimed that he was later retaliated against for asking for the time off.  He discovered that female air traffic controllers were allowed the kind of leave he sought. He sued the Department of Transportation (”DOT”) for sex discrimination and retaliation for complaining about alleged sex discrimination.  … Continue Reading

Employer Recordkeeping Requirements Extended to GINA

by Amy J. Traub, Anna A. Cohen, and Jennifer A. Goldman

Effective April 3, 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) extended its existing recordkeeping requirements under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act to employers covered by Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (“GINA”). The burden on employers to comply with the recordkeeping requirements under GINA will likely be minimal, as employers should already have recordkeeping policies in effect for personnel and other employment records pursuant to these and other employment laws with the same or … Continue Reading

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