Employment Law Flashcards
To which employers is the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (EEOC) applied to
under federal law, if employer has 15 ore more employees on payroll each working day of at least 20 weeks in current or preceding calendar year
state law threshold may be less
What are the requirements of Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964 ?
Enforced by EEOC
Forbids discrimination against any worker or job applicant on the basis of citizenship status, disability, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status
What are the 10 factors that are prohibited from discrimination by employers in the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
1) citizenship status
2) disability
3) race
4) color
5) religion
6) sex
7) national origin
8) age
9) marital status
10) veteran status
What are the exemptions to the Civil Rights Act of 1964?
It is NOT unlawful for for an employer to:
pay different wages or provide terms or priveleges of employment if decisions are based on a bona fide merit, seniority or other system designed to measure quantity or quality of work
take religion, sex, national origin (NOT RACE) into account making employment decisions when these factors are legitimate
base employment decisions on the results of professionally validated ability tests that are not designed, intended or used to descriminate
pregnancy discrimination act amendment is another exception
What is the pregnancy discrimination act amendment?
pregnant woman and related conditions must be treated the same as other applicants and employees on the basis of her ability or inability to work
treated same as other causes under health insurance, fringe benefits, leaves of absence and return to work rights
cannot refuse to hire, discharge or promote a woman because she is pregnant might become pregnant or had an abortion
cannot require pregnant worker to take a leave at arbritraliy determined point in pregnancy
official EEOC notice must be POSTED
What is the Civil Rights Act of 1991?
enacted to amend parts of Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964
restore and strengthen civil rights laws that ban discrimination in employment and for other purposes
applies changes that allow certain actions such as trial by jury and provides for damages in cases where there is intentional employment discrimination
expanded the the sex discrimination protections to GENDER IDENTITY
prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, AND GENETIC INFORMATION
also prohibits REPRISAL for protected activity
The Civil Rights Act of 1991 made amendments to section 1981 of the Reconstruction Era Civil Rights act of 1866. What are they?
Everyone in US has same right to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties, give evidence and full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings
Since employment is a CONTRACTUAL relationship, law applies to private employers
The law has been construed by courts to protect the contract relationship of employment of a worker and to cover bias against all ethnic minorities
Race, color, national origin, citizenship and ethnicity discrimination claims can be brought under section 1981
NO POSTING REQUIREMENT
What is the Age Discrimination in Employment Act? (ADEA)
Prohibits employers from discriminating against workers or applicants who are 40 years of age or older
enforced by EEOC
official ADEA notice must be POSTED
What is the Age Discrimination Act of 1975?
Along with Executive Order NO 11,141 broadly prohibits all age discrimination
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 1990?
prohibits laboratories with 15 or more employees from discriminating against qualified individual with a diasbility BECAUSE OF HIS OR HER DISABILITY
ADA requires labs to provide reasonable accomodations to assist disabled individuals in performing essential functions of their jobs
What is a disability under ADA?
physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities
OR
has a record of such impairment
OR
is judged to have such an impairment
What does physical or mental impairment mean according to ADA?
physiological disorder, cosmetic disfigurement, anatomical loss affecting one ore more of the following: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, respiratory, speech, cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genitourinary, hemic, lymphatic, skin and endocrine
OR
mental or psychological disorder such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness and specific learning disabilities
What are major life activities according to ADA?
basic functions such as caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breaching, learning and working
How does ADA define substantially limits?
unable to perform a major life activity that average person in general population can
OR
compared to general population is significantly restricted as to the condition, manner or duration the individual can perform major life activity
What are other factors to consider in assessing whether an individual is substantially limited in major life activity?
nature and severity of impairment
duration or expected duration
AND
actual or expected permanent or long term impact of or resulting from impairment
Does the identity or name of the impairment determine whether a person is disabled?
NO, the effect the impairment has on the life of individual NOT the identity
disability for one person may be just inconvenience for another
What are examples of specific conditions and disabilities protected by the ADA?
include AIDS, HIV, epilepsy, paralysis, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, MS, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, mental retardation, emotional illness, specific learning disabilities and identifiable stress disorders
Are minor or temporary disabilities considered disabilities under ADA?
NO
Are physical characteristics like left handedness, predispositions to disease, personality traits, prison record, environmental, cultural or economic disadvantages covered by ADA?
NO
Are sexual behaviors like homo, bi, trans, pedo, transex, exhibitionism, voyeurism, compulsive gambling, klepto, payro, gender identity disorders, psychoactive substane abuse disorders and use of illegal drugs covered by ADA?
NO
Is pregnancy covered by the ADA?
NO pregnancy is not considered a disability under ADA
According to ADA, who are qualified individuals with disabilities?
an individual with a disability who satisfies the requisite SKILL, EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION and other job-related requirements of the employment position
with or without reasonable accommodation can perform the essential functions of the position
What are examples of specific conditions provided protection under ADA?
work-qualified HIV
former drug users rehabilitated or supervised rehab programs
alcoholics otherwise qualified unless pose safety threat
In Which aspects of employer functions are they prohibited from discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of such disabilities?
job application including recruitment, interviewing and testing
hiring, layoff, recall, termination
evaluation or promotion
leave, compensation or other fringe benefits
job training
any other terms or conditions of employment
What are examples of discriminatory practices under ADA?
failure to make reasonable accommodations unless undue HARDSHIP would result
denial of employment opportunities if based on individuals need for accommodation
application of qualification standards, tests, selection criteria or eligibility criteria unless they are business necessity or job related
denial of an equal opportunity or benefit to qualified individual based on a known relationship with disabled individual
limiting, segregating, classifying individual in way that adversely affects opportunities, or status based on existence of disability
using standards, criteria or administration methods that have effect of discrimination on basis of disability or perpetuate discrimination of others who are subject to common administrative control
using employment tests, medial examinations, that reveal impaired sensory, manual or speaking skills of disabled
participating in contractual or other relationships that subject applicants/employees to discrimination otherwise forbidden by ADA
Under ADA are employers allowed to ask pre-employment questions to assess the ability of an individual with disability to perform job-related functions?
YES
prohibits inquiries or medical exams designed to determine the existence, nature and extent of an applicant’s disability
What kinds of questions or inquiries are prohibited by ADA during interview?
Can ask about ability to perform job related functions
Can’t ask about medical examinations or disability specifically
inappropriate questions:
Impairments, health, phsychiatric history, drug/alcohol, how disability occurred, previous work attendance related to disability, family history of illness,
whether applicant has any disability or medical condition that will prevent person from performing the job
Can employer ask if applicant has disability or medical condition that will prevent person from performing job?
NO can only ask questions to assess ability to perform job related functions
Does ADA require employers to post notices about the law’s provisions?
YES must post in a conspicuous place notices
Who is responsible for enforcement of ADA?
ADA establishes overlapping responsibilities in both EEOC and DOJ for employment by state and local governments
federal enforcement will be coordinated by EEOC and DOJ to avoid duplication in investigative and enforcement activities
For private and governmental employers already covered by nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements under Rehabilitation Act of 1973, EEOC, DOJ and Department of Labor will coordinate enforcement under ADA and Rehabilitation Act
What constitutes reasonable accommodations to known disability of an otherwise qualified individual?
modifications to facilities to make readily accessible
Job restructuring
modifying work schedules
reassigning to vacant positions
acquiring or modifying equipment or devices
adjusting or modifying exams, training materials, policies
providing interpreters or readers
What is considered undue hardship exemption from reasonable accommodations by employer under ADA?
determined by nature and cost of accommodation, size and type of the facility, financial resources of the employer, nature of the employer’s operation including composition, structure and functions of workforce
Who is the Equal Pay Act of 1963 (EPA) applied to?
amendment to Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
applies to employers with 2 or more employees AND having sales volume exceeding 500,000 engaged in interstate commerce
What is prohibited by the EPA of 1963?
prohibits employers from paying workers of one sex less than the rate paid to opposite sex for work on jobs that require equal skill, effort and responsibility
AND
are performed under similar working conditions
EXCEPT
where pay is based on seniority, merit system, a piece work rate or differential based on any factor besides SEX
Who enforces EPA?
EEOC
What is he Fair Labor Standards Act FLSA ?
minimum wage of 7.25 and wage rate of 1.5 times employees regular rate for each hour in excess of 40 hours in a work week , 80 in 14 days in hospitals
EXEMPT from overtime are outside salespersons, professional, executive and administrative personnel paid more than 35,568 per year
Who are exempt from FLSA ?
Outside salespersons,
profesional, executive
and administrative personnel
and
paid more than 35,568 /year
What new regulations were effective January 1, 2020 for FLSA?
raised standard salary level to 35,568/year
raised highly compensated employees level from 100k to 107k
allow employers to use non discretionary bonuses and incentive payments including commissions that are paid at least annually to satisfy up to 10% of standard salary level
revising special salary levels for workers in us territories and motion picture industry
How does a person qualify for the learned professional exemption from FLSA?
employee’s primary duty must be
1)performance of work requiring advanced knowledge
2)in a field of science or learning
3) customarily acquired by prolonged course of specialized intellectual instruction