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8th Circuit: Arbitration Agreements Must Be Enforceable Contracts

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July 15, 2019

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In Shockley v. PrimeLending, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeal reminded employers that arbitration agreements must be enforceable contracts. There, the employer’s mandatory arbitration agreement and delegation clause existed only in its Handbook Addendum. The employee had received the Addendum electronically, which only required her to click on the Addendum link to generate an automatic acknowledgement that it was reviewed.  There was no evidence that the employee had actually ever opened the Handbook or Addendum and reviewed the arbitration policy.

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New York: Voting Paid Time Off Leave Revised

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April 1, 2019

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New York Election Law § 3-110 now provides for up to three hours of paid time off to vote, provided a request is made at least two working days prior to an election. Employers may designate the voting time be taken at the beginning or end of a shift. These changes were made in passing the state’s yearly budget. Previously, two hours of paid voting leave was only required if an employee did not have a four hour window to vote before or after a shift. Now, the paid requirement is increased and there is no requirement of an inability to vote due to an employee’s shift.

Action Items

  1. Update projected budgets to account for paid voting leave.
  2. Have employee handbooks and voting policies revised for compliance.
  3. Revise voting leave processes in accordance with the new rules.
  4. Update voting posters for consistency with the new rules.
  5. Subscribers can call our HR On-Call Hotline at (888) 378-2456 for further assistance.

Disclaimer: This document is designed to provide general information and guidance concerning employment-related issues. It is presented with the understanding that ManagEase is not engaged in rendering any legal opinions. If a legal opinion is needed, please contact the services of your own legal adviser.

© 2019 ManagEase

NLRB: Issues New Guidance on Employee Handbook Rules

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All Employers Subject to the NLRA

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June 6, 2018

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On June 6, 2018, the Office of the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) issued “Guidance on Handbook Rules Post-Boeing.” The new Guidance elaborates on a December 14, 2017 announcement that sets forth three categories of rules to help define when an employer’s policies violate the National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”).

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Washington: Healthy Start Act Requires Accommodation for Pregnant Employees, With or Without Disability

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All Employers of 15+ WA Employees

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January 1, 2018

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Washington State’s Healthy Starts Act (the “Act”) requires covered employers to provide pregnant employees with reasonable accommodations.  In contrast to federal and other state anti-discrimination laws, some accommodations must be provided regardless of disability or medical certification, and regardless of whether such accommodations may cause the employer undue hardship.

The Act applies to employers of 15 or more Washington employees.  Key provisions of the Act are summarized below.

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