The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees working for covered employers to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, protected leave during a 12-month period for absences resulting from covered family or medical...more
Sometimes music at work can be a welcome diversion. But not all songs favored by employees come from “The Sound of Music.” An employer’s obligation to keep its workplace free from harassment includes paying attention to what...more
With increasing numbers of employees working remotely, employers can sometimes lose sight of the fact that a remote worker may be eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). A Bulletin issued in February...more
Oklahoma and Arkansas medical marijuana laws -
Oklahoma and Arkansas have enacted medical marijuana laws with similar features. In Oklahoma, an individual may qualify for a state medical marijuana license permitting them...more
With increasing frequency, employees ask to bring animals to work. Under some circumstances, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recognizes that the presence of a bona fide service animal in the workplace can be a...more
When Apple’s Penn Square Mall retail store in Oklahoma City voted on Friday to unionize, it became the tech giant’s second location in the United States to do so.
Is this a trend for other Oklahoma employers? Count on...more
The attendance policy -
Gestamp West Virginia, LLC manufactures auto parts in South Charleston, West Virginia. Under Gestamp’s attendance and leave policies, employees must notify their group leader at least 30 minutes...more
Employers understand the importance of investigating employees’ harassment complaints. A recent case explains what standards apply to the company’s investigation and what happens if the employer cannot determine who was the...more
Recent days have brought encouraging news about the development of COVID-19 vaccines. The prospect of vaccines being available in early 2021 has caused employers to begin considering whether they will require employees to...more
11/20/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Religious Discrimination ,
Title VII ,
Undue Hardship ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
As the COVID-19 Coronavirus problem grows, employers will face increasing challenges on a variety of workplace issues. Health experts anticipate travel restrictions, business closings, suspension of schools, and widespread...more
3/4/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Sick Leave ,
Traveling Employee ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
Suppose you have an applicant or employee who is currently healthy, but you are concerned they may develop an impairment or condition in the future. Can an employer make any decisions based upon that concern without violating...more
An Oklahoma refinery employee who was terminated after testing positive for amphetamines tried to get his job back by claiming that over-the-counter medication led to a false test result. He also argued the employer’s testing...more
With Oklahoma’s new medical marijuana laws, employers will be facing more workplace questions involving marijuana. A recent Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals decision awarding workers’ compensation benefits to an injured...more
When Oklahoma’s new medical marijuana law goes into effect this Friday, August 30, employers will have more ways to maintain a safe workplace.
Under the current law, employers have been able to discharge any employee who...more
8/28/2019
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Drug Testing ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Marijuana ,
Medical Marijuana ,
New Legislation ,
State Labor Laws ,
Workplace Safety
In our recent webinar, we mentioned that the Oklahoma State Department of Health had until July 26th to make medical marijuana application requirements, instructions and certain forms available to the public. You can now...more
Franken. Lauer. Spacey. Weinstein. Moore. And others. There is no question that in 2018 all employers will be facing growing harassment challenges. That means now is a critical time to assess the effectiveness of your policy,...more
Employers are well aware of their obligation to act promptly to stop harassment or discriminatory behavior in the workplace when it is committed by employees. But this obligation can be more extensive. Employers are required...more