Recently in employment law news, a medical transportation company became a cautionary tale to employers should they receive a claim against them. More specifically, a claim was filed with the EEOC against the company at the end of 2023 alleging discrimination based on race, national origin, and gender. The company promptly…ignored the EEOC’s requests for additional information. Now, as the company continues to ignore not only requests for information but court dates and subpoenas, the court has imposed contempt of court sanctions in the amount of $100 per day that the company remains out of compliance. That ruling was made on June 7, 2024, which means over $5,000 in penalties has amassed so far.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law 60 years ago this month. Signed into law by President Johnson the same day the bill was sent to him, this act was a significant piece of legislation that protects workers from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

A new Colorado law taking effect in 2026 will require employers using artificial intelligence (AI) in making "consequential decisions" to take steps to prevent and mitigate known and reasonably foreseeable risks of algorithmic discrimination. But what is algorithmic discrimination, and how can organizations guard against it when implementing AI systems to aid in recruiting, hiring, and other employment decisions?

One of the most important HR tasks for your company is implementing a handbook. This will help get your employees all on the same page and provide a clear framework of appropriate behavior during the course of employment. Mission accomplished, right? Not quite! After getting your handbook in place, you need to ensure that you distribute and train employees on the policies as well as consistently enforce company policies, otherwise you can be faced with employee conflicts, a chaotic workforce, or even legal troubles.

The U.S. Department of Labor  announced a final rule ,  raising the Fair Labor Standards Act’s minimum annual salary threshold for overtime pay eligibility in a two-step process.

Trial by jury is a fundamental right in the United States, enshrined in the Bill of Rights. But without citizens who are willing to participate as jurors, jury trials cannot exist. Serving as a juror is thus an important civic duty.  

One of the most important aspects of managing employees is ensuring they are paid correctly. Not only will you get complaints from employees if you forget to pay for hours worked or calculate overtime incorrectly, but the Department of Labor (DOL) may also come knocking at your door if they receive complaints about improper pay practices. To avoid these employee issues and be prepared in case the DOL wants to take a look at your records, make sure you are tracking and properly paying for time worked for all nonexempt employees.

As record-breaking temperatures are steadily becoming the norm nationwide, both employers and legislatures have faced urgent calls to protect employees from the increased risk of heat-related illness, particularly in the sweltering summer months. With average  global temperatures continuing to trend upward, state officials and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are working to develop and implement a patchwork of standards and enforcement initiatives to combat the intensifying indoor and outdoor heat hazards.

The minimum annual salary for most overtime-exempt employees will increase to $43,888 on July 1, 2024, and then increase again to $58,656 on January 1, 2025, under a  new overtime rule coming from the US Department of Labor (DOL).