By Vy’Shaey Mitchell and Erin Dougherty Foley
Seyfarth Synopsis: In a recent ruling, Brooks v. Avancez, (Decided July 6, 2022) the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed a finding for summary judgment for an employer after it was found to have terminated its employee for legitimate non-discriminatory reasons. The decision makes clear that an employer
Continue Reading Trust But Verify: Conduct Your Own Investigation Before Termination
Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 14, 2022, the Supreme Court of New Hampshire reversed a trial court decision that dismissed a former employee’s complaint alleging his employer failed to consider whether it could reasonably accommodate his use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. New Hampshire joins a growing number of other jurisdictions that have found an employer
Continue Reading Supreme Court of New Hampshire Weighs in On Reasonable Accommodations for Medical Marijuana Users
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
By Honore Hishamunda and Alex S. Drummond
Seyfarth Synopsis: Plaintiffs in disability discrimination cases often have sympathetic facts on their side. A recent decision out of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, however, highlighted that courts are tasked with applying the law in such cases even if doing so leads to a loss for a sympathetic
Continue Reading First Circuit Decision Underlines the Importance of Law Over Sympathetic Facts in Disability Discrimination Cases
Seyfarth Synopsis: Though only an informal guidance, this resource document reminds employers of the EEOC’s expansive interpretation of what constitutes a reasonable workplace accommodation. Employers should continue to meaningfully engage in the interactive process with any employees seeking workplace accommodations for a physical or mental disability and assiduously document those efforts.
Citing an increase in
Continue Reading EEOC Issues Informal Guidance on Reasonable Accommodations for Mental Health Conditions
By Adam Smiley and Samuel Sverdlov
Veterans Day, which initially was conceived as a day to commemorate the end of World War I, has evolved into an annual celebration to honor those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.
On Veterans Day we self-reflect on the sacrifices of those who served our country, and express our appreciation to them.
Continue Reading Honoring Our Veterans: The Employers Guide To Military-Veteran Employees