News & Knowledge

In a recent decision, the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for employees to bypass filing a Charge of Discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) before filing suit.  The Court unanimously decided, in Fort Bend County v. Davis, that Title VII’s charge-filing requirement is procedural and not jurisdictional. By making this finding, the Court for the first time made clear that federal courts have the authority to hear Title VII claims that are not the subject of a Charge of Discrimination, and that the charge-filing requirement could be waived by employers for failure to timely assert it as a defense.

The seasons have changed from Winter to Spring, but the EEOC’s position regarding wellness incentives remains the same. This year’s stalemate over employee wellness programs has increasingly caused employers to ask: have wellness incentives become more trouble than they are worth? In a dramatic shift from its former endorsement of wellness incentives, the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) has invalidated the incentive provisions of its wellness program regulations. The result: since January 1, 2019, when the EEOC regulations became ineffective, employers have been in limbo when it comes to implementing their employee wellness programs, with no guidance from the EEOC to speak of.

Summertime brings summer vacations and holidays.  However, for employers, it can also bring a pattern of Friday and Monday absenteeism by employees on intermittent leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or, perhaps in these instances, better referred to as the “Friday Monday Leave Act.”  Understandably, this pattern may raise the suspicion of an employer who questions the validity of the absence, but feels there is no recourse for fear of violating the FMLA.  However, employers, have no fear, there are ways to address the matter without running afoul of the FMLA.

Many have called Madison Timber Properties, LLC the largest Ponzi scheme in Mississippi history. The scheme involved more than one hundred million dollars in investments and hundreds of investors spanning many years. The scheme has attracted the attention of national media outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Forbes.

Employers Beware: Collecting Genetic Information on Employees Could Lead to Litigation – In 2003, Congress designated April 25th as National DNA Day. The day marks the 50th anniversary of the discovery of DNA’s double helix in 1953 and celebrates the latest advances in genetics. However, these genetic advances have adversely impacted the workplace prompting Congress to pass the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) prohibiting genetic information discrimination.

In Mississippi, every year is an election year. This election year, however, is shaping up to be one of the most memorable in the state in decades. Many Mississippians will seek to play an active part in these elections by contributing to campaigns and political parties. Such contributions are subject to federal and state campaign finance laws. Below is a summary of major restrictions….

In the wake of recent sexual misconduct allegations against numerous public figures, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)—the agency responsible for enforcing federal laws prohibiting workplace harassment—has reported a deluge of visits to its sexual harassment website. And the National Women’s Law Center—an organization that disseminates information about the legal definition of harassment and how to file charges with the EEOC—has seen a five-fold increase in the number of calls about sexual harassment. Many expect this increased awareness of improper sexual behavior will lead to a dramatic increase in the number of workplace sexual harassment claims.

By: Spencer Ritchie Mississippi campaign finance laws are about to change, and it’s not just officeholders and candidates that need to be prepared for the changes. Businesses and other organizations that seek to participate in elections and ballot measures through political committees must also be ready…. read the full article here: SPENCER RITCHIE — Changes to Mississippi campaign finance laws affect business community    

Current labor department statistics reflect a steady decrease in layoffs since the 2007-2009 recession. While layoffs are down, charges of discrimination filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) are steadily going up. Nationally, the number of charges has increased from 75,768 in 2016 to 91,503 in 2016. As for the specific type of charge, retaliation claims currently top the national list at 42,018 followed by race claims at 32,309.

The potential for 3D printing, formally known as additive manufacturing, to forever change traditional manufacturing processes has been well documented. Once merely a hobbyist’s niche, 3D printing has opened the door for individuals and businesses to “manufacture” products, ranging from replacement cabinet hardware to component car parts, from the comfort of their own homes or on-site in an office, simply by downloading computer-aided design (CAD) files and clicking “print.”