Beginning on September 1, 2023, the Texas Labor Code will prohibit race discrimination on the basis of an employee’s hair texture or a protective hairstyle commonly or historically associated with race. Protected hairstyle includes braids, locks, and twists. Twenty states have pass similar laws commonly referred to as CROWN Acts. CROWN is an acronym for
Human Resources
NLRB Finds Nondisparagement and Confidentiality Provisions Found in Many Severance Agreements Unlawful
A recent decision of the National Labor Relations Board (the “Board”) concluded that standard nondisparagement and confidentiality provisions found in many employee severance agreements violate federal labor law because they have a reasonable tendency to interfere with and restrain employees’ prospective rights to engage in protected concerted activity, bargain collectively and form unions for their…
Expanded Accommodations for Women with Need to Express Breast Milk at Work
Also included in the omnibus spending bill are expanded accommodations for women that need to express breast milk in the workplace. The Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act or the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act expands the federal workplace protections for women with a need to express breast milk passed in 2010. …
Pregnant Employees Get Additional Protections in Congress’ Omnibus Spending Bill
Several provisions of the $1.7 trillion, 4,400-page Omnibus spending bill passed by Congress and expected to be signed by the President, are additional employment protections for pregnant women. Today we cover the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (“PWFA” or “Act”) that requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to women with limitations caused by pregnancy, childbirth,…
The Speak Out Act: Eliminating Pre-Dispute Non-Disclosure And Non-Disparagement Agreements For Workplace Sexual Harassment And Assault Matters
President Biden recently signed the Speak Out Act, the latest in a set of bills focusing on workplace sexual harassment and sexual assault. According to the legislative findings of the Act, 81% of women and 43% of men have experienced some form of sexual harassment or sexual assault throughout their lifetime, one in three…
DOL Increasing Focus on Staffing Agencies and Health Care Practices’ Misclassifying Workers as Independent Contractors
On November 16, 2022, the Department of Labor announced that it had recovered $1.2 million in back wages from four different home health care agencies on behalf of 599 home healthcare workers. One of the responsible employers, Guardian Angels Care Services, Inc., owed $160,477 in overtime back wages for misclassifying its employees as independent…
Texas Employers Can Pay Employees in Bitcoin, But Why Should They? A Sequel
With the spectacular crash of the centralized cryptocurrency exchange FTX and the potential bankruptcy of a second high-profile cryptocurrency exchange called BlockFi, now is a good time to revisit whether an employer would want to pay or employees receives all or part of their wages in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency.
Let’s go back to…
Fortune 50 Company Recommendations to Improve Anti-Harassment & Non-Discrimination Policies and Practices
Want to evaluate whether you need to improve your company’s sexual harassment and gender discrimination policies or get recommendations for potential improvements to those policies? A company can spend tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to engage a large law firm to study the company’s policies and make recommendations for improvement. Alternatively, a company…
Avoid the Holiday Party Human Resources Hangover
Employers are booking venues and planning for the annual company holiday party. As these preparations are made, Human Resources should review these tips to reduce the likelihood of post-holiday party human resources hangovers.
Keeping Off Santa’s Naughty List Because of your Behavior at the Company Christmas Party
Employee Time Off to Vote on Election Day in Texas
There are important mid-term elections occurring in Texas on Tuesday, November 8, 2022, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Early voting runs from October 24 though November 4, 2022. There are many statewide, state district and U.S. representative races to be decided in this election.
In Texas, employers are required provide employees with time off…