Retail Labor and Employment Law

Retail Labor and Employment Law

News, Updates, and Insights for Retail Employers

Tag Archives: EEOC

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Seventh Circuit: Title VII Does Not Cover Sexual Orientation Bias

Our colleague Linda B. Celauro, Senior Counsel at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Financial Services Employment Law blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the retail industry: “Seventh Circuit Panel Finds That Title VII Does Not Cover Sexual Orientation Bias.”

Following is an excerpt:

Bound by precedent, on July 28, 2016, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that sexual orientation discrimination is not sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The panel thereby affirmed the decision of … Continue Reading

Posted on by Susan Gross Sholinsky and Ann Knuckles Mahoney

EEOC Targets Religious and National Origin Discrimination Against Individuals Who Are, or Are Perceived to Be, Muslim or Middle Eastern

The EEOC has released several new guidance tools, for both employers and employees, focused upon religious and national origin discrimination against people who are (or are perceived to be) Muslim. This focus on religious and national origin discrimination is particularly important for retail employers because retailers often require employees to follow dress codes or work at times that may conflict with religious observance.

In December 2015, EEOC Chair Jenny Yang released a statement highlighting the need for employers to “remain vigilant” in light of the recent terrorist attacks. Yang commended employers that have “taken steps to issue or re-issue policies … Continue Reading

Posted on by Nathaniel M. Glasser and Jonathan L. Shapiro

Retailers Navigate Conflicting Laws Regarding Transgender Protections

On March 23, 2016, the North Carolina Legislature passed House Bill 2, the “Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act” (“HB2”), that overturned a Charlotte ordinance extending anti-discrimination protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (“LGBT”) individuals and allowing transgender persons to use the bathroom of their choice. Instead, HB2 requires individuals to use public bathrooms that match the gender listed on their birth certificates. A swift public outcry followed, with many celebrities denouncing the law and canceling appearances in North Carolina, companies threatening to boycott, and the American Civil Liberties Union filing a lawsuit challenging HB2 as unconstitutional and for … Continue Reading

Posted on by Maxine Neuhauser

Time To Check That Your Employment Notices Are Properly Posted – EEOC Raises Fines For Notice Posting Violations

The EEOC announced a rule change that will more than double the maximum fine for violating Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)  notice posting requirements. Under the new rule, which is projected to become effective the first week of July, employers will face a maximum penalty of $525 per violation — up from $210.

While most retailers undoubtedly know they must have notices, where the notices are posted matters. The regulations require that they be in a prominent and accessible place where notices to employees and applicants are customarily maintained. For … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

New Online Resource Can Help Employers Make Their eRecruiting Technologies Accessible to All Job Seekers

Our colleague Frank C. Morris, Jr., attorney at Epstein Becker Green, has a post on the Financial Services Employment Law blog that will be of interest to many of our readers in the retail industry: “New Online Recruiting Accessibility Tool Could Help Forestall ADA Claims by Applicants With Disabilities.”

Following is an excerpt:

In recent years, employers have increasingly turned to web based recruiting technologies and online applications. For some potential job applicants, including individuals with disabilities, such as those who are blind or have low vision, online technologies for seeking positions can prove problematic. For example, … Continue Reading

Posted on by Laura C. Monaco

EEOC’s Recent Lawsuits Assert That Unlawful Sex Discrimination Under Title VII Includes Sexual Orientation Discrimination

Laura C. Monaco

Laura C. Monaco

This week, the EEOC filed its first two federal lawsuits that frame allegations of sexual orientation-based harassment and discrimination as claims of unlawful “sex discrimination” under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In EEOC v. Pallet Companies the EEOC alleges that an employee’s night-shift manager harassed her because of her sexual orientation by making repeated offensive comments (sometimes accompanied by sexually suggestive gestures), such as “I want to turn you back into a woman” and “I want you to like men again.”  According to the Complaint, the employee was discharged after she complained about … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Fair Pay Law Amendments Pending in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California

Our colleague Nancy L. Gunzenhauser has a Technology Employment Law blog post that will be of interest to many of our retail industry readers: “Three States Seek to Bolster Fair Pay Laws.”

Following is an excerpt:

Following on the tails of recent updates in New York and California’s equal pay laws, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and California all have bills pending in their state legislatures that would seek to eliminate pay differentials on the basis of sex and other protected categories. …

While states are leading the charge with updates to equal pay laws, the EEOC is also … Continue Reading

Posted on by Laura A. Stutz

EEOC Implements Nationwide Program to Disclose Employer Position Statements and Supporting Documents

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) recently implemented nationwide procedures for the release of employer positionConfidential-shutterstock_41997904 statements to Charging Parties upon request.  The new procedures raise concerns about disclosure by the EEOC of non-public personnel and commercial or financial information the employer may disclose to support its position with regard to the Charge.

Before releasing the supporting documents to the Charging Party, the EEOC will review the employer’s submissions and withhold only information the Commission decides should be considered confidential.  The type of information considered confidential by the EEOC includes:

  • Sensitive medical information (except for the Charging Party’s medical information)
… Continue Reading
Posted on by Nancy L. Gunzenhauser, Judah L. Rosenblatt and Kate B. Rhodes

EEOC Rules Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation Illegal Under Title VII

In the wake of several high-profile wins for the LGBT community, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) added employment discrimination protection to the list.  On July 16, 2015, the EEOC ruled that discrimination against employees based on sexual orientation is prohibited by Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) as discrimination based on sex.

The EEOC held that “[s]exual orientation discrimination is sex discrimination because it necessarily entails treating an employee less favorably because of the employee’s sex.”  The EEOC noted that sex-based considerations also encompassed gender-based considerations under Title VII. This ruling, if … Continue Reading

Posted on by Maxine Neuhauser

Five EEOC Initiatives to Monitor on the Agency’s Golden Anniversary

My colleague Nathaniel M. Glasser recently authored Epstein Becker Green’s Take 5 newsletter.   In this edition of Take 5, Nathaniel highlights five areas of enforcement that U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) continues to tout publicly and aggressively pursue.

  1. Religious Discrimination and Accommodation—EEOC Is Victorious in New U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
  2. Transgender Protections Under Title VII—EEOC Relies on Expanded Sex Discrimination Theories
  3. Systemic Investigations and Litigation—EEOC Gives Priority to Enforcement Initiative
  4. Narrowing the “Gender Pay Gap”—EEOC Files Suits Under the Equal Pay Act
  5. Background Checks—EEOC Seeks to Eliminate Barriers to Recruitment and Hiring

Read the Full Take 5… Continue Reading

Posted on by Tazamisha H. Imara

Retailer’s Lack of Actual Knowledge of Applicant’s Need for Religious Accommodation Does Not Bar Religious Bias Suit

On June 1, 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court revived a religious discrimination claim against Abercrombie & Fitch (“Abercrombie”) after the fashion retailer denied employment to a Muslim woman because the headscarf, or hijab, worn as part of her religious observance violated the company’s dress code.  EEOC v, Abercrombie & Fitch Stores, Inc., 2015 U.S. LEXIS 3718 (June 1, 2015). In overturning summary judgment granted in favor of Abercrombie, the Court held that Title VII does not require proof that the employer had actual knowledge of the individual’s need for religious accommodation, but only that the religious practice was … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Five Employment, Labor, and Workforce Management Concerns Impacting Retailers

Our colleagues Steven M. Swirsky; Adam C. Solander; Brandon C. Ge; Nancy L. Gunzenhauser; and August Emil Huelle contributed to Epstein Becker Green’s recent issue of Take 5 newsletter.   In this edition, we address important employment, labor, and workforce management issues confronting retailers:

  1. Sick Leaves Laws Are Sweeping the Nation
  2. The NLRB’s New “Expedited” Election Rules Became Effective April 14, 2015—Expect a Major Uptick in Union Activity in Retail
  3. EEOC Proposes Wellness Program Amendments to ADA Regulations: The Impact on Retail Employers
  4. Security Considerations for the Retail Employer
  5. NLRB Issues Critical Guidance on Employee Handbooks,
… Continue Reading
Posted on by Scarlett L. Freeman

Private Employers Likely to Face Gender Identity Discrimination Claims as Federal Government Continues to Expand Title VII Protections to Transgender Employees

Since we last reported on the 2012 Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) decision in Macy v. Holder,[1] the federal government has continued to extend protection under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) to transgender employees.  In July 2014, President Obama issued Executive Order 13672, prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating against workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.  Two months later, in September 2014, the EEOC filed its first-ever lawsuits alleging sex discrimination against transgender employees under Title VII.  Shortly thereafter, in December 2014, outgoing U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder released … Continue Reading

Posted on by Maxine Neuhauser

April 22 Complimentary Webinar Concerning EEOC Wellness Regulations

To register for this complimentary webinar, please click here.

I’d like to recommend an upcoming complimentary webinar, “EEOC Wellness Regulations – What Do They Mean for Employer-Sponsored Programs? (April 22, 2015, 12:00 p.m. EDT) presented by my Epstein Becker Green colleagues Frank C. Morris, Jr. and Adam C. Solander.

Below is a description of the webinar:

On April 16, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) released its long-awaited proposed regulations governing employer-provided wellness programs under the American’s with Disabilities Act (“ADA”). Although the EEOC had not previously issued regulations governing wellness programs, the EEOC has filed … Continue Reading

Posted on by Maxine Neuhauser

EEOC Issues Proposed Wellness Program Amendments to ADA Regulations

My colleagues Frank C. Morris, Jr., Adam C. Solander, and August Emil Huelle co-authored a Health Care and Life Sciences Client Alert concerning the EEOC’s proposed amendments to its ADA regulations and it is a topic of interest to many of our readers.

Following is an excerpt:

On April 16, 2015, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) released its highly anticipated proposed regulations (to be published in the Federal Register on April 20, 2015, for notice and comment) setting forth the EEOC’s interpretation of the term “voluntary” as to the disability-related inquiries and medical examination provisions of the … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Three Lawsuits Brought by the U.S. EEOC Challenge Employer Separation Agreements

The federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC” or “Agency”) has been spending a fair amount of time in recent months challenging the validity and legality of employers’ separation agreements. This is apparently part of the EEOC’s core priorities, including “targeting policies and practices that discourage or prohibit individuals from exercising their rights under employment discrimination statutes, or which impede the EEOC’s investigative or enforcement efforts.” Retail employers have not been exempted from the agency’s scrutiny. A summary of recent lawsuits follows:

EEOC v. Baker & Taylor

In a complaint filed last year in Illinois, EEOC v. Baker & Taylor, … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

EEOC Enforcement Guidance on Religious Accommodation: A Friendly Reminder to Review Policies and Practices

By Amy B. Messigian

The EEOC has just published guidance to employers on accommodating religious dress and grooming practices pursuant to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. This guidance comes on the heels of several high profile religious discrimination cases that have brought the issue of religious dress and grooming accommodation to the forefront.  Employers with 15 or more employees are covered by Title VII and should take note of the new guidance.

Title VII requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for “sincerely held religious practices, unless the accommodation would cause an undue hardship” and prohibits workplace or job … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

April 2013 Take 5 Newsletter: Five Recent Actions Employers Should Consider

The April 2013 issue of Take 5 was written by David W. Garland,  Chair of Epstein Becker Green’s Labor and Employment Steering Committee and a Member of the Firm in the New York and Newark offices.

In it, he summarizes five recent labor and employment actions that employers should consider:

  1. EEOC Releases Letter Addressing Wellness Programs and Reasonable Accommodation Obligations
  2. Paying Interns May Not Be Enough to Stave Off Wage and Hour Claims
  3. House Committee Votes Out Bill Prohibiting NLRB from Acting Without a Quorum
  4. New York City Human Rights Law Expanded to Prohibit “Unemployment” Discrimination
  5. New Jersey
… Continue Reading
Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

EEOC Confirms That Title VII Protects Transgender Employees

by Anna A. Cohen and Desiree E. Busching

On April 20, 2012, in a noteworthy decision, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”) protects transgender individuals from disparate treatment. Macy v. Holder, Appeal No. 0120120821, Agency No. ATF-2011-00751 (EEOC, Apr. 20, 2012).  The case therefore opens up a new protected category which, while already recognized under many state and local anti-discrimination statutes and by some federal courts, had not previously been formally recognized by the EEOC.  Employers may want to consider updating employment policies, such as … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

EEOC Propounds Guidance on Use of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions

by Jeffrey M. Landes, Susan Gross Sholinsky, and Jennifer A. Goldman, with Teiko Shigezumi

The On April 25, 2012, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued an enforcement guidance document titled “Enforcement Guidance on the Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et. seq.“ (the “Guidance”), with respect to employers’ use of arrest and conviction information in connection with employment decisions.

Disparate Treatment v. Disparate Impact

Although Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Employer Recordkeeping Requirements Extended to GINA

by Amy J. Traub, Anna A. Cohen, and Jennifer A. Goldman

Effective April 3, 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) extended its existing recordkeeping requirements under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act to employers covered by Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (“GINA”). The burden on employers to comply with the recordkeeping requirements under GINA will likely be minimal, as employers should already have recordkeeping policies in effect for personnel and other employment records pursuant to these and other employment laws with the same or … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Why Companies Need to Care about Caregivers: The EEOC’s Focus on Caregiver Discrimination

By Lauri F. Rasnick and Margaret C. Thering

caregiver.JPG

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has once again turned its focus to caregiver discrimination.  On February 15, 2012, for the first time in nearly 30 years, the EEOC held a meeting about caregiver and pregnancy discrimination.  As “caregivers” are not specifically included as a “protected category” under any federal law, the EEOC discussed the various laws which would possibly prohibit certain caregiver discrimination, such as the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act and Amendments Act, and the Family Medical Leave Act.  The EEOC specifically discussed accommodating pregnant women under … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

EEOC Performance in 2011, What it Could Mean for Employers in 2012

by Ian G. Nanos

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) recently issued its Performance and Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2011.   As reported by the EEOC, 2011 was a record year.  A quick review of these highlights, as well as the pending docket, reveals a growing trend and employers should pay attention.

First the highlights.  During FY 2011, the EEOC received a record number of discrimination charges – nearly 100,000 against private sector employers alone.   More importantly, the EEOC also recovered a record $364 Million through administrative enforcement.  Even with this high volume of new charge activity, the … Continue Reading

Posted on by Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

Large Corporations Increasingly Agree to Send All EEOC Charges to Mediation

by Christina J. Fletcher

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has increased its efforts to encourage large corporations to enter into Nationwide Universal Agreements to Mediate (UAM).  To date, more than 200 private-sector employers, including several Fortune 500 companies, have entered into UAM agreements with the EEOC at the national level.  Additionally, EEOC district offices have entered into 1,743 mediation agreements with employers at the local level.

The EEOC’s focus on UAMs, which apply to individual-charges of discrimination, but not to class and systemic charges, is aligned with the EEOC’s publicly stated priority of combating systemic discrimination.  If more individual … Continue Reading

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