Just days after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit stayed a preliminary injunction blocking executive orders that refer to the promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion as “illegal DEI,” the U.S. Equal...more
3/24/2025
/ Affirmative Action ,
Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Executive Orders ,
Title VII
On January 21, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14173, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” (the “Order”), which, among other actions, directs all executive departments and...more
This week, we asked a few of our labor and employment attorneys to recap the most significant challenges their clients faced in 2024:
It has been a pivotal year for employers, marked by challenges to federal agency...more
As the spotlight on high-profile judgments intensifies, terms such as “libel,” “slander,” and “defamation” permeate public discourse.
Former U.S. presidents, A-list celebrities, and even college professors and local business...more
With virtual terminations on the rise, what steps should employers take to ensure they are prepared and compliant if an employee secretly records their termination?
Epstein Becker Green attorneys Marc A. Mandelman and Lauri...more
The Israel-Hamas war. Antisemitism and Islamophobia. Ukraine vs. Russia. Black Lives Matter. #MeToo. Mass Shootings and “Well Regulated” vs. “Shall Not Be Infringed.” Vaccination and Mask Mandates. Politicians and Presidents....more
On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court of the United States issued three opinions. Of them, Groff v. DeJoy (“Groff”),in which the Court unanimously revised the standard for determining whether accommodating an employee’s...more
7/3/2023
/ Civil Rights Act ,
De Minimus Doctrine ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Groff v DeJoy ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Religious Discrimination ,
SCOTUS ,
Substantial Burden ,
Title VII ,
Undue Hardship ,
USPS
On September 20, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams announced that New York City’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private employers is ending. The City’s mandate for municipal employees, however, will remain in effect....more
On March 14, 2022, the EEOC issued a technical assistance document, The COVID-19 Pandemic and Caregiver Discrimination Under Federal Employment Discrimination Laws, which provides guidance as to ways equal employment...more
In the United States, the federal government has faced challenges in imposing vaccination mandates for large private employers, federal contractors, and certain health care employees. Because of that, choices around...more
2/8/2022
/ Complaint Procedures ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Covered Entities ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Exemptions ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As we previously reported, in December New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a mandate requiring that masks be worn in all indoor public places, unless the business or venue requires proof of vaccination for entry. As part...more
New York City’s private employer vaccine mandate became effective Monday. December 27, 2021 and, the City has updated its FAQs document and the Accommodations Guidance document (“Guidance”)....more
This week, we’re recapping some of the biggest changes that impacted employers in 2021. We also look ahead to what’s in store in the new year.
A Shift in Labor Policy and Enforcement
The Biden administration is ushering in...more
12/22/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Mobility ,
Employee Privacy Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Federal Contractors ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Labor Regulations ,
Masks ,
NLRB ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
OSHA ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Unions ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
On December 15, 2021, New York City followed up on the recently announced vaccine mandate for private employers by releasing further details, including several guidance documents and mandatory signage. The New York City...more
On December 6, 2021, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that New York City would be adding new rules and requirements for vaccination against COVID-19, including a “universal” vaccine mandate affecting all private employers—about...more
On Monday, October 25, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued updates to its online technical assistance for employers, providing guidance for managing workplace issues arising from the ongoing...more
10/28/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Mandates ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Guidance Update ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Religious Beliefs ,
Religious Exemption ,
Title VII ,
Undue Hardship ,
Vaccinations
On Friday, October 1, 2021, the New York State Division of Human Rights (“the Division”), the agency responsible for enforcement of the New York State Human Rights Law (“NYSHRL”), issued a notice, partially reproduced on the...more
Welcome to #WorkforceWednesday. This week, we look at new Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) COVID-19 vaccine guidance as well as vaccination protocols for multinational workforces.
Employers Adjust to New EEOC...more
6/9/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Incentive Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Health and Safety ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Reasonable Accommodation ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) announced the release of updated guidance regarding the COVID-19 vaccine, providing welcome clarity around a number of vaccine-related issues for...more
COVID-19 has not only created a plethora of workplace safety, accommodation, and leave issues, it has also created new employee mobility challenges for employers:
- How can employers maintain the “trade secret” status of...more
10/29/2020
/ Choice-of-Law ,
Confidential Information ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Corporate Counsel ,
Employee Mobility ,
Employee Relocations ,
Employment Litigation ,
Furloughs ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Human Resources Professionals ,
Involuntary Reduction in Force ,
Layoffs ,
Legitimate Business Interest ,
Presidential Elections ,
Remote Working ,
Restrictive Covenants ,
State Labor Laws ,
Trade Secrets ,
Webinars
Employers are struggling to find a new normal in light of the ongoing pandemic. They are grappling with reopening businesses, implementing reductions in force and furloughs, and filling new employment needs through hiring and...more
On June 17, 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC” or “the Commission”) again updated its COVID-19-related technical assistance for employers (“Guidance”). ...more
6/23/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
Screening Procedures ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
With regulators and lawmakers struggling to address the new wave of issues arising from employers reopening and bringing employees back to their workplaces, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC” or...more
On May 5, 2020, and again on May 7, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the “EEOC”) updated its technical assistance for employers, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other...more
On the heels of adding Return to Work guidance to its technical assistance for employers, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Law” ...more