By Cary Reid Burke and Stan Hill
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals recently provided several reminders to employers regarding their obligations under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), in vacating summary judgment for the employer in Ramji v. Hospital Housekeeping Systems, Inc., Case No. 19-13461 (11th Cir. April 6, 2021).
First, an employer cannot get
Continue Reading 11th Circuit to Employers: Heed Your FMLA Obligations
By Gerald L. Maatman, Jr., Christopher DeGroff, Matthew J. Gagnon, and Alex S. Oxyer
Seyfarth Synopsis: The EEOC recently released its enforcement and litigation statistics for Fiscal Year 2020. Notably, the statistics indicate that 2020 saw a dramatic drop in filed charges, with the lowest number of charges filed in over 20 years. For example, despite
Continue Reading A Peek Behind The Numbers: The EEOC’s Enforcement Statistics Show Fewer Charges Filed In 2020, While Recoveries Surged
By Linda C. Schoonmaker and Brian A. Wadsworth
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Sixth Circuit recently sided with employer Fresh Products, LLC and its HR Manager, Dawn Shaferly, in an age, race, and disability discrimination lawsuit. In doing so, the Court helpfully clarified when an employer can contractually shorten the limitations periods with respect to certain discrimination claims. In addition, the
Continue Reading Fresh Off Victory Employer Fresh Products Prevails at the Sixth Circuit
Seyfarth Synopsis: Ninth Circuit concludes in trilogy of disability access cases that complaints must specifically allege unlawful conditions.
Over the years, ADA Title III complaints filed by the plaintiff’s bar have gotten progressively more vague with respect to the barriers alleged. This is no coincidence: Some have stated outright that they keep those allegations vague so businesses
By Karla Grossenbacher, Jennifer A.Kraft, and Benjamin J.Conley
Seyfarth Synopsis: As COVID-19 vaccines become more readily available in coming months, employers are exploring ways to maximize vaccination rates within their workforce. Some employers are considering making vaccination mandatory. Be sure to read our alert for more relating to legal considerations involved with a mandatory vaccination program. Other
Continue Reading EEOC’s New ADA Regulations Could Complicate Employer Plans’ Efforts to Offer Incentives for Getting the COVID Vaccine as Part of a Wellness Program
By Honore N. Hishamunda and Erin Dougherty Foley
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employees can sometimes sour on jobs they transfer to and, this in turn, can create practical and legal risk for employers, particularly where an employee changed jobs in connection with a disability accommodation. A recent decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, however, makes
Continue Reading Your Accommodation Can’t Be That Bad, You Asked For It….
By Nolan R. Theurer and Andrew M. McNaught
Seyfarth Synopsis: On August 18, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment on a plaintiff’s associational disability discrimination and retaliation claims, finding the plaintiff failed to support his allegations with sufficient evidence. The decision prevents plaintiffs with associational discrimination claims from relying on unsupported allegations of
Continue Reading 7th Circuit Focuses On Evidence To Avoid Distraction In Associational Discrimination Case
By Kevin Fritz and Erin Dougherty Foley
Seyfarth Synopsis: Athleisure company is rightfully able to terminate the employment of individual with physical limitations, despite that individual’s ability to delegate such functions of her position. See Tonyan v. Dunham’s Athleisure Corp., No. 19-2939 (7th Cir. 2020).
Angela Tonyan was employed by Dunham’s Athleisure Corp. as a store manager. She
Continue Reading 7th Circuit has Spoken: Two Pound Lifting Limit, and Other Restrictions Can be an Unreasonable Accommodation under the ADA
By Erin Dougherty Foley and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Seven years ago today The Employment Law Lookout Blog launched its twice weekly publications. Now as we enter a new year — we wanted to celebrate this milestone by taking a look back at our seven most popular posts of “all time.” (As compiled by our marketing team and
Continue Reading Happy Birthday to Us! Employment Law Lookout Blog’s Seventh Year Anniversary – A Look Back at our Top Posts
By Linda C. Schoonmaker and Brian A. Wadsworth
Seyfarth Synopsis: The First Circuit recently sided with an employer in a disability discrimination suit in Trahan v. Wayfair Maine, Inc., Civil Action 19-1961.
The former employee plaintiff claimed that her employer discriminated against her when it terminated her employment and failed to honor her accommodation request after the employer
Continue Reading Too Little, Too Late: The First Circuit Finds For Employers in an Accommodation Request Made After The Termination Decision