A court battle between Twentieth Century Fox and Netflix highlights the risk of luring away a competitor’s talented executives to gain an edge. The lawsuit alleges Netflix wrongfully encouraged Fox’s VP of promotions Marcos Waltenberg and VP of creative affairs Tara Flynn to break their contracts and come to work for the streaming giant. They […]
Employers Can be Liable for Racist Language Even If Unintentional
If an employer uses language in the workplace that evokes racial stereotypes, does that automatically constitute harassment and a hostile work environment, even if no discrimination is intended? This is at the heart of a lawsuit currently before a federal court in Reno, Nevada. Racial Discrimination or “Lack of Sensitivity”? The case was brought by […]
Marriage Equality and the Trump Administration: Advice for LGBT Couples
While it is difficult to predict exactly how Donald Trump’s presidency will affect LGBT rights and marriage equality in the United States, initial signs are not promising. On the one hand, he did say in a “60 Minutes” interview shortly after winning the November 8 election that, in the wake of Obergefell, marriage equality is […]
Overtime Rule Uncertainty: How Michigan Employers Can Cope
For months, Michigan employers have been preparing for sweeping changes announced by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) earlier this year regarding how overtime pay is calculated for exempt workers. They were likely all set for the rules to take effect December 1 when a Texas federal judge issued an injunction blocking them from coming […]
Employers Can be Liable for Harassment, Discrimination from Non-Employees
Most employers understand that they have a responsibility to protect workers against harassment and discrimination from other employees. What many may not realize is that this also extends to harassing or discriminatory behavior from non-employees such as customers, clients, vendors, tradespeople, and patients. If an employer fails to do this, it can be held liable […]