Preventing and Responding to Workplace Violence [Webinar Recording]

October 14, 2022Theresa Green Leave a comment

On Tuesday, October 11, 2022, Kara M. Maciel, Lindsay A. DiSalvo, and special guest Terri D. Patterson, Ph.D., a Principal at Control Risks and threat management expert with over two decades of experience, presented a webinar on Preventing and Responding to Workplace Violence.

In 2020, physical assault was identified as the 4th leading cause of workplace deaths. Nearly 2 million American workers experience violent acts at work annually. As the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be entering the endemic phase and workers begin to transition back into the workplace, experts predict even more of an increase in workplace violence. Thus, employers will want to be prepared to prevent these types of incidents and protect their employees to the extent possible, as well as ensure they are doing all that’s required from a regulatory standpoint.

Workplace violence has been a focus for both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) well before the pandemic and remains so now. While OSHA has no specific standard for workplace violence, the OSH Act’s General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized serious hazards, and OSHA has instituted enforcement actions under its General Duty Clause after incidents of workplace violence. OSHA has also initiated a rulemaking to address workplace violence in specific industries. For its part, the EEOC has also prioritized ways to effectively prevent and address workplace violence, particularly in the form of workplace harassment. And outside of OSHA and the EEOC, employers can also be held liable for workplace violence through other claims such as negligent hiring and supervision.

In this webinar, attendees learned: Continue reading →

Congress Bans Private Arbitration for Sexual Assault and Harassment Cases

February 24, 2022February 24, 2022Daniel C. Deacon Leave a comment

On February 10, 2022, the Senate passed legislation ending the use of forced arbitration in lawsuits involving sexual assault and harassment claims. The bill – the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act – passed the Senate by a voice vote just days after it passed the House by a vote of 335 to 97. The legislation is now before President Biden, and it is expected that he will sign the bill soon.

This law has been in dispute along partisan lines for nearly a decade, as Republican lawmakers had traditionally opposed the legislation. However, the #MeToo movement, which included claims against some members of Congress in the past, paved the way for lawmakers to find common ground and resolve the partisan gridlock.

The law will take effect immediately upon President Biden’s signature, and it will apply to any and all claims of sexual assault or harassment, as defined under federal, state, or tribal law, that arise or accrue after its enactment. Employers that currently use arbitration clauses to manage sexual assault and harassment claims should take steps to review and amend their practices accordingly and prepare for the potential that current and past allegations of sexual misconduct will become public.

Employers will be prohibited from implementing policies or contracts that funnel assault and harassment cases into private arbitration – meaning claimants have the right to file lawsuits in federal, state, or tribal court, which is open to the public. The law also prohibits employers from using joint-action waivers prohibiting class actions. Therefore, parties are now able to collectively file class action lawsuits alleging widespread sexual assault and/or harassment.

The law raises several new considerations for employers about how to manage claims of sexual assault or harassment. The public nature of filing claims in court elevates the risk of reputational harm for employers, as well as increases liability risk due to the potential for a proceeding before a jury. Due to the elimination of private arbitration for these claims and the increased risks, plaintiffs now have more leverage in settlement negotiations.

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Conn Maciel Carey’s 2022 Labor and Employment Webinar Series

January 7, 2022January 7, 2022Theresa Green Leave a comment

Announcing Conn Maciel Carey’s 2022 Labor and Employment Webinar Series

The legal landscape facing employers seems as difficult to navigate as it has ever been. Keeping track of the ever-changing patchwork of federal, state and local laws governing the workplace may often seem like a full-time job whether you are a human resources professional, in-house attorney or business owner. Change appears to be the one constant. As we enter Year 2 of President Biden’s Administration, employers will continue to closely track the changes taking place at the NLRB, the DOL and the EEOC. At the same time, a number of states will continue introducing new laws and regulations governing workplaces across the country, making it more important than ever for employers to pay attention to the bills pending in the legislatures of the states where they operate.

Conn Maciel Carey’s complimentary 2022 Labor and Employment Webinar Series, which includes monthly programs (sometimes more often, if events warrant) put on by attorneys in the firm’s national Labor and Employment Practice, will focus on a host of the most challenging and timely issues facing employers, examining past trends and looking ahead at the issues most likely to arise.

To register for an individual webinar in the series, click on the link in the program description below. To register for the entire 2022 series, click here to send us an email request, and we will register you. If you missed any of our programs from the past seven years of our annual Labor and Employment Webinar Series, here is a link to an archive of recordings of those webinars.

2022 Labor and Employment Webinar Series – Program Schedule

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[Webinar] Employee Misconduct Defense, Discipline, and Employment Law Issues

August 6, 2021Theresa Green Leave a comment

On Wednesday, August 11, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. ET, join Mark M. Trapp and Ashley D. Mitchell for a webinar regarding Employee Misconduct Defense, Discipline, and Employment Law Issues.

Disciplining employees, a critical tool in enforcing workplace rules, has the potential to create problems, especially when relationships deteriorate and emotions run high. Even in situations where an employer is disciplining for the right reason, if it is handled incorrectly, a costly lawsuit or labor grievance could result. Employers, however, cannot ignore misconduct and/or poor performance that negatively impacts productivity, employee morale, workplace culture, or the organization’s ability to meet key goals. Consistent employee discipline can also benefit employers in litigation, union grievances, and inspections and investigations by the EEOC and OSHA.

This webinar will give you a blueprint to lawfully discipline employee and mitigate the risk of future litigation. Participants in this webinar will learn about: Continue reading →