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McBrayer Blogs

Showing 247 posts in Employment Law.

Supreme Court Will Hear Quality Stores Case

On October 1, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States agreed to hear United States v. Quality Stores, Inc. The case has been previously discussed on our blog. In 2001, Quality Stores entered bankruptcy and closed all of it doors to nearly three-hundred stores. The store challenged a requirement to pay FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) taxes on the severance that it had paid its workers. FICA taxes help finance federal retirement and health care benefits. More >

Fighting the Flu (and Liability) in the Workplace, cont.

On Monday, we examined the basic concept of employer-mandated flu vaccinations.  Generally speaking, employers may require at-will employees to get a flu shot and may terminate an employee based upon a refusal. The right to terminate, however, is not without limitation,  and a recent case on this issue instructs that certain protected rights and classifications likely must be considered prior to termination. More >

Fighting the Flu (and Liability) in the Workplace

As summer draws to an end, flu season is lurking right around the corner. Last year’s flu season was especially hard-hitting. Many employers have taken proactive steps in recent years to protect their workforce by offering free flu vaccines or encouraging employees to get one on their own. But, can employers go one step further and require their at-will employees to receive flu shots? More >

Severance Packages and Unemployment Benefits

As an employer, one of the most difficult parts of the job can be letting an employee go or eliminating their position. When the departure is an amicable one, many employers choose to provide a severance package. In some cases, an employment contract or union agreement may require severance pay no matter how the relationship ends. More >

Who’s GINA and What Should I Know About Her?

GINA is not a who, but rather a what. The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (“GINA”) was passed by Congress in 2008. GINA makes it illegal for employers with 15 or more employees to discriminate against employees or applicants on the basis of genetic information. Employers cannot lawfully inquire about (1) an individual’s genetic tests; (2) the genetic tests of an individual’s family members; or, (3) the manifestation of a disease or disorder in the family members of such an individual. More >

Final Rules on Wellness Programs Issued, cont.

If you missed Monday’s post, I began describing the final rules issued by the Departments for employment-based wellness programs. The final rules introduce notable changes to health-contingent wellness programs. More >

Final Rules on Wellness Programs Issued

Recently, the departments of Treasury, Labor, and Health and Human Services (the “Departments”) published the final rules for wellness programs offered in conjunction with group health plans. The rules implemented the Affordable Care Act (“ACA”) requirements. The regulations became finalized on August 2, 2013, and will apply to group health plans for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2014. More >

Employee Benefits in the Wake of Windsor

On June 26, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court, in United States v. Windsor, declared unconstitutional Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), which had prohibited the federal government from acknowledging marriages between same-sex couples. At the time of the ruling, same-sex marriages were recognized in 12 states and the District of Columbia. The decision does not require states to recognize same-sex marriages; Kentucky is among the states that do not. However, that does not mean that Kentuckians, specifically Kentucky employers, are insulated from the effects of this decision. More >

Kentucky Court of Appeals Weighs in Favor of Employee: Is Morbid Obesity a Disability? Part II

Our post on Monday detailed background information on a recent decision from the Kentucky Court of Appeals styled as Pennington v. Wagner’s Pharmacy, Inc. Before being heard by the Court of Appeals, the case was heard at the trial court, where the court had to consider whether the plaintiff, Melissa Pennington, was disabled as defined by the Kentucky Civil Rights Act due to morbid obesity. More >

Kentucky Court of Appeals Weighs in Favor of Employee: Is Morbid Obesity a Disability?

Kentucky’s statutes, which are mirrored after the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, make it unlawful for an employer to discriminate against an employee due to a disability. KRS 344.040(1) and 207.150. In a recently-issued decision, the Kentucky Court of Appeals has greatly increased the potential liability exposure that employers may face with respect to  discrimination clams. More >

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