In the event you’re made aware that an employee needs medical leave, but the employee is not available for direct contact due to inpatient care in a facility or incapacitation, send the applicable leave paperwork to the employee’s address on file. The employee may have...
Yes, as long as you’re not discriminating based on protected classes or characteristics, you can conduct reference checks for certain roles but not others. For example, you may decide that supervisory roles or positions with access to sensitive information warrant this additional step during the...
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has announced that the 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection is now open. The deadline to file the report is May 17, 2022. Employers should visit the EEO-1 Component 1 website for the latest filing updates and additional information. Employers can also...
The most risk-averse approach would be to terminate this employee as well. Any time you deviate from consistent disciplinary practices—in this case terminating for forging timesheets—you open your organization up to greater risk of discrimination claims. This employee would no doubt appreciate not losing his...
Age discrimination (sometimes called ageism) means treating people less favorably because of their age. In the workplace, this commonly happens when an employer favors a younger worker over an older one. In some cases, age discrimination is unlawful. If your organization has 20 or more employees...
An employee in a job that regularly requires lifting 50 pounds now says they can only regularly lift 25 because of an off-the-job injury. Can we terminate? Possibly, but proceed with caution. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers that have 15 or more employees...
One of our employees informed us that she’s menopausal and experiencing symptoms in the workplace. What can we do to support her and others in her situation? Menopause (the time that marks the end of the menstrual cycle) and perimenopause (the time just before) can come...
When an employer receives a harassment claim, they have a legal obligation to examine the claim by conducting a thorough investigation. This includes the following steps: Select an interviewer. Typically, this person would be an impartial manager, company officer, or HR representative. They should approach...
You should avoid questions that are not job-related or that cause an applicant to tell you about their inclusion in a protected class. These would include questions about race, national origin, citizenship status, religious affiliation, disabilities, pregnancy, sexual orientation or gender identity, past illnesses (including...
The answer depends on the nature of the disability and the functional limitation it imposes. For example, if you were requesting documentation for an accommodation request concerning a mental health condition, a psychiatrist or psychologist would be an appropriate professional, but a physical therapist wouldn’t...