The first weeks of the Trump administration have been marked by dramatic policy reversals across dozens of Cabinet-level agencies. Expect more incremental change at the U.S. Department of Labor.

Overtime pay. Discrimination. Family leave. Harassment … Federal employment laws govern all of these issues—and many more—that all managers will have to deal with at some point in their careers. It’s important for supervisors and managers to know the basics of how to comply with those laws.
This training covers the top 10 most important issues addressed by federal employment laws that managers must understand. It also addresses the implications of those laws for managers. It reinforces the need for management to work closely with HR on several issues, especially when it comes to complying with the FMLA, the ADA and pregnancy-related situations.

Two upcoming religious holidays make it an opportune time for employers to review the laws regarding religious accommodations.

An employee has recently provided two weeks’ notice of his intent to resign. Can I tell the worker that he is not needed for the two weeks and avoid paying him for that time?

Under the ADA, employers don’t have to go along with an accommodation that is unreasonable—one that, in the terminology of the ADA, “causes an undue hardship.” If you reject what you consider an unreasonable accommodation, be ready to explain why.

The letter acknowledges that under the FMLA, employees can elect to use accrued vacation, sick and workers’ comp leave for unpaid FMLA leave, and employers can require it. This substitution runs concurrent with FMLA leave until the entitlement is used up.

Attorney General Pam Bondi is launching a nationwide investigation of private-sector employers that conduct activities designed to foster diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in their workplaces, a process that Bondi said could result in criminal charges against companies.

In a statement, acting EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said the EEOC “is returning to its mission of protecting women from sexual harassment and sex-based discrimination in the workplace by rolling back the Biden administration’s gender identity agenda.” But issuing a press release does not change official policy.

When employers don’t understand wage-and-hour laws such as the Fair Labor Standards Act—or worse, when they try to circumvent that law—they can find themselves on the hook for potentially costly penalties. Even relatively small violations can quickly add up.

The state of Missouri is suing Starbucks, alleging that the coffee chain’s diversity, equity and inclusion programs are a “mere pretext for its actual commitment to unlawful discrimination.”