Civil Law

Federal Court Finds Employer Failed to Appreciate the Gravity of Employee’s Lunar Moon Religious Observation (US)

A recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Johnson v. York Academy Regional Charter School, reminds employers of their obligation to meaningfully participate in the process of identifying reasonable accommodation of their employees’ religious beliefs.

Monik Johnson was employed by a charter school as a business manager. Many years into her employment, Ms. Johnson began observing the Lunar Sabbath, which required her not to work on the day of the New Moon, which … Read the rest

Civil Law

Firing of thousands of health agency employees will undermine food safety

— OPINION —

The cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services today make a mockery of the “Make America Healthy Again” slogan by arbitrarily decimating new staff in key public health agencies who might actually implement the slogan.  

The firings impact staff across HHS and affect thousands of people on “probationary” status.  

The mass firings will undermine the work of two of the agencies that solve and prevent foodborne outbreaks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Court grants review in federal employee’s filing deadlines case

Court grants review in federal employee’s filing deadlines case

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The Supreme Court on Friday afternoon agreed to take up another case exploring the distinction between deadlines that are jurisdictional – so that courts cannot hear a case if they are not met – and those that are instead simply a limitations period that can be waived or extended.

The justices granted review in Harrow v. Department of Defense, the case of a federal government employee who challenged his 2013 furlough. The case was the only grant on a … Read the rest

Civil Law

Attention California Employers! Soon, You Will Need to Provide Employees Five Days (or 40 Hours) of Paid Sick Leave (US)

On October 4, 2023, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) No. 616 into law, which expands California’s mandatory paid sick leave from three days (or twenty-four hours) to five days (or forty hours). The increased paid sick leave requirements take effect on January 1, 2024.

Background

In 2014, California enacted the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014 (“HWHFA”), providing California employees with paid sick leave. The HWHFA became effective on July 1, 2015, and has been amended … Read the rest