
Q & A
Q: I extended an offer to a protected class – she is pregnant – and I am considering rescinding the offer, not for that reason, just that I might have a more qualified candidate. What do I need to consider here?
Q: I extended an offer to a protected class – she is pregnant – and I am considering rescinding the offer, not for that reason, just that I might have a more qualified candidate. What do I need to consider here?
Rhode Island Bans Hairstyle Discrimination
Effective July 1, 2025, the definition of race under Rhode Island Fair Employment Practices Act (FEPA) is amended to include traits historically associated with race, including hair texture and protective hairstyles. The FEPA applies to employers with four or more employees.
Did you know Colorado Updated their Anti-Discrimination Law?
Did you know the California Civil Rights Department published a “Survivors of Violence and Family Members of Victims Right to Leave & Accommodations Notice”?
Did you know that a recent federal court decision may require Pennsylvania employers to pay employees for walking to the time clock?
Did you know New Jersey treats commissions as wages?
The new law expands workplace protections in Section 112 of the Utah Antidiscrimination Act by prohibiting employers from making employees engage in “religiously objectionable expression” that the employee reasonably believes would burden or offend the “employee’s sincerely held religious beliefs.”
Help! A former employee posted negative comments about me and my business on Google, and I don’t know what to do!
Q: I extended an offer to a protected class – she is pregnant – and I am considering rescinding the offer, not for that reason, just that I might have a more qualified candidate. What do I need to consider here?
Arkansas, Virginia, and Wyoming Pass Laws Restricting Use of Non-Competes
Effective July 1, 2025, Virginia Requires Reporting of Workplace Violence in Hospitals
Q: What is Employment Practices Liability Insurance and should I have it?
A: Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) provides coverage to employers against claims made by employees related to wrongful employment practices. This includes allegations of discrimination (based on age, race, gender, etc.), sexual harassment, wrongful termination, retaliation, breach of employment contract, and other workplace-related issues.
Consider the following scenarios:
A dentist was interested in hiring an applicant as a dental assistant and had her come in for a working interview. She filed successfully for workers’ compensation as an employee, alleging that during the day she fell off a chair and hurt her back.
An applicant came in for a working interview and was not hired. She filed for unemployment. The doctor was ruled to be her last employer and liable for the unemployment claim.
Q: Can I require a doctor’s note when employees are absent due to illness?
Q: I hired a new receptionist who started this past Monday. A week before her start date, I sent her all the onboarding forms including a W-4 and Form I-9. On her first day to work yesterday, she presented her driver’s license for List B of the Form I-9 but asked me if she could show me a copy of her social security card instead of the actual card since she lost it during a recent move. After a quick Google search, I let her know I’d need an actual document from List C of the Form I-9, since she also let me know that she does not own a passport.
Today was Day 2 for her, and she still tells me she does not have her social security card. I let her know that by law I am supposed to complete her I-9 within the first 3 days and asked her to bring an acceptable document from List C for tomorrow.
My question is–what do I do if she shows up to work tomorrow without an acceptable document from list C again tomorrow?