Allen Smith

Manager, B2C Content at SHRM HR News

Manager of workplace law content at SHRM, [email protected]

Articles

ADA at 35: Reasonably Accommodate Workers with Mental Illness

1 week ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

When the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) turns 35 on July 26, it can be agreed that much has improved for people with disabilities. But stigma in the workplace, particularly for individuals with mental illness, remains. And too often, employers don’t provide ADA reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities.
State Affirmative Action Requirements Challenge Contractors

1 week ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

Even though the federal government is no longer mandating affirmative action by federal contractors for minorities and women, several state affirmative action requirements remain in place for state contractors.
SHRM’s Interpretation of ‘Marital Status’ Discrimination Prevails

1 week ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

On April 8, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a broad interpretation of “marital status,” aligning with SHRM’s advocacy on this issue. Marital status does not mean marriage to a particular person, the court ruled, but instead should be understood as encompassing the state of being single, married, divorced, etc.
ACA’s No-Cost Preventive Care Mandate Is Before the Supreme Court

2 weeks ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

Certain no-cost preventive services — such as cancer screenings, pregnancy care, testing for sexually transmitted diseases, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (“PrEP”) antiretroviral medication to prevent the spread of HIV — offered by group health care plans might eventually become subject to cost-sharing due to an upcoming benefits case before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Permits Termination of Probationary Federal Workers

2 weeks ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

Staying an injunction entered by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the U.S. Supreme Court permitted the firing of approximately 16,000 probationary federal employees for now in a 7-2 order issued April 8. What This Means for HRThe Supreme Court’s order, which allows the Trump administration to implement the terminations while litigation proceeds, does not mean the terminations were lawful.
Seesaw in the Courts Continues: NLRB’s Wilcox Reinstated

2 weeks ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

The latest twist in Gwynne Wilcox’s fight to regain her seat on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has turned in her favor: On April 7, the full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reinstated Wilcox, who had been fired by President Donald Trump in January. The decision once again restored a quorum to the board. A D.C. Circuit panel had recently blocked Wilcox from the seat during litigation, but the full D.C. Circuit ruled she should serve as a member of the NLRB.
EEOC: Employers’ Training Can Create a Hostile Work Environment

3 weeks ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

For years, employers have held programs meant to reduce bias, hostility, and liability, but now, according to recent U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) technical assistance, those programs could be the basis of a hostile work environment claim.
Indian Companies Make ‘Remarkable Transformation’ with I&D

3 weeks ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

Workplace diversity is a relatively recent concept in India, but some organizations are forging ahead with programs to bring in a wide mix of employees and provide them with an inclusive work environment. “In the past decade, India’s corporate landscape has witnessed a remarkable transformation in the way inclusion and diversity (I&D) is approached — evolving from check-the-box initiatives to building deeply inclusive, purpose-driven cultures,” said Achal Khanna, CEO of SHRM East.
SHRM Asks Congress to Modernize the Fair Labor Standards Act

1 month ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

SHRM testified before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Workforce Protections on March 25 to call for modernization of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA).
4th Circuit Lifts Nationwide Injunction on DEI Executive Orders

1 month ago | shrm.org | Allen Smith

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has lifted a nationwide injunction on the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) executive orders, permitting them to be enforced while litigation continues. We’ve gathered articles on the news from trusted outlets. Judges’ ReasoningThe three judges found that while actions taken by the federal agencies under the orders could ultimately be deemed unconstitutional, the orders as written are not unconstitutional.