The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC” or the “Agency”) recently released its annual financial report for the 2020 fiscal year. Relevant highlights from this report include discussion of a research study was commenced to determine whether there is a correlation between unemployment during economic downturns related to COIVD-19 and EEOC charge filings the EEOC’s continued
Regulatory Update
Coming Soon for 2021: EEOC to Update Its Compliance Manual Regarding Religious Discrimination
After being issued more than 12 years ago, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) voted to publish a proposed update to its Compliance Manual section on religious discrimination. Once published, it will be open and available for public comment. According to the EEOC, the updated guidance will reflect recent legal developments and emerging issues under…
Michigan Executive Order Clarifies COVID-19 Standard
On August 27, 2020, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued Executive Order 2020-172. The Executive Order affirms that employers are prohibited from discharging, disciplining, or retaliating against employees who stay home when they or their close contacts are sick.
However, the Executive Order redefines the “principal symptoms of COVID-19” as follows:
The principal symptoms of…
USDOL Office of Inspector General Reports Rise in OSHA Whistleblower Claims During COVID-19 Pandemic
On August 14, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (“OIG”)—the Department’s watchdog—released a report finding that the COVID-19 global pandemic has significantly increased the number of whistleblower complaints received by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”). OSHA’s Whistleblower Program enforces 23 statutes that prohibit employers from retaliating against employees…
Two States Go Against the Grain By Prohibiting Salary History Bans
By now, employers generally are aware that a growing number of states and municipalities are passing bans prohibiting pre-employment inquiries into an applicant’s salary history. This trend is part of a growing effort in the United States to reduce the pay gaps that may result from discrimination. In contrast, Michigan and Wisconsin became the first…