The Human Genome Project was a collaborative venture to map the entirety of human DNA. It finished in 2003, and in the 17 years since, we’ve luckily avoided falling into a society that uses genetic information to discriminate against its citizens. But the potential is there. To help prevent genetic discrimination, Congress passed the Genetic […]
The Legality of DNA Testing in the Workplace Read More »
Severance agreements are common in the employment arena, especially in the Virginia corporate world and the rest of the country. There are a variety of reasons why an employer may offer a severance agreement to an employee that is leaving, such as: Liability protection, especially for discrimination-based legal claims. Maintaining positive goodwill with a departing
Does It Matter If Your Severance Agreement Is Covered By ERISA? Read More »
The last few years have brought about significant changes in how both the law and society perceive the consumption of cannabis. This had led to a lot of confusion about what’s legal, especially with cannabidiol (CBD). One topic in particular relates to employer-mandated drug testing. There have been a number of cases where an employee
What Happens If You Fail An Employer’s Drug Test Because of CBD? Read More »
Every day, countless people are victimized by acts of sexual harassment. One of the most common places where this can be seen is the workplace. It is depressingly common for workers, especially women, to have a boss, coworker or client stare at, speak to or even touch them in inappropriate and non-consensual ways. While the
Virtual Sexual Harassment: Same Workplace Problem, Different Context Read More »
Arriving at the tail end of the summer months, the coronavirus threat is the worst that it’s ever been for the U.S. And to think, we thought this country had it bad back in March and April. Given the turmoil in Washington, D.C., not much clarity concerning employee protections from the coronavirus is coming from
Virginia Is First To Have Coronavirus Workplace Safety Standards Read More »
Bringing an employment civil suit as an employee is a difficult proposition. Not only is there the emotional and financial cost of litigation, but the chances of success at trial is relatively low. About 10 years ago, the Harvard Law & Policy Review published a paper that found that from 1979 to 2006, plaintiffs won
Damage Caps In Employment Law Cases Read More »
In 2017, the U.S Department of Health and Human Services declared that the opioid crisis in the United States was a national public health emergency. This came as no surprise given how almost 450,000 people died from opioid overdoses between 1999 and 2018. Commonly abused opioids include: Oxycodone Morphine Hydrocodone Codeine Heroin Fentanyl Recent government
Opioid Use And Addiction: Employee Rights Under the ADA Read More »
Considering the trajectory of current polling, former Vice President Joe Biden appears to be the current favorite to become the next president of the United States. A deciding factor for some workers may come down to the question of whose policies would be friendlier to their rights. Let’s get straight to the point: a Biden
What Can Workers Expect Under a Biden Administration? Read More »
While poll numbers are not looking particularly good for the president, there remains a serious possibility that Donald Trump may win a second term. Workers may be concerned about what a second term for Trump would mean for their rights. Here’s what we know: Trump has made few, if any, campaign promises that relate to
What Can Workers Anticipate During a Second Term Under Trump? Read More »
The United States continues to move forward with the reopening process, despite the increasing number of coronavirus infections and deaths. Many Americans continue to express their displeasure and resistance to calls for social distancing and mask wearing. Given this environment, many employers might be wary of having the coronavirus spread among its workers. So it’s
Age Discrimination And Covid-19: What Are The Rights Of Older Employees? Read More »
