Labor & Employment Law Update

On March 6, 2014, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) published two new technical assistance guides concerning workplace rights and responsibilities regarding religious dress and grooming under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  The first document, a one-page “Fact Sheet on Religious Garb and Grooming in the […]

Iowa:  A final rule by the Iowa Workforce Development Department amends regulations under Iowa Admin. Code Sec. 871-24.13 and 871-24.16.  The final rule specifies  that paid time off, annual leave and excused personal leave should be included in the term “vacation pay” and thus are deductible from unemployment.  This rule […]

The Internal Revenue Service recently issued Final Regulations for the employer pay-or-play mandate under the Affordable Care Act.  The Final Regulations, which include both clarifications and changes to the Proposed Regulations, address the extension of the transition rules, full-time employees, hours-of-service determinations, affordability safe harbors and applicable large employer status. […]

Within the last six months, the EEOC has filed a number of lawsuits against health care employers alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).  Earlier this month, the EEOC settled one of those lawsuits with Osceola Community Hospital in Sibley, Iowa.  In the lawsuit, the EEOC alleged that […]

Nebraska employers and unions have more guidance on what constitutes a “waiver” under the Industrial Relations Act (IRA) due to a recent Nebraska Supreme Court decision.  The Court determined that Service Employees International Union (AFL-CIO) Local 226 (Local 226) waived its right to negotiate vacation, a mandatory subject of bargaining, […]