Employers often must balance the mandates of seemingly competing directives. A challenging example arises in the area of possible mental impairment. An employer may hear concerns that an employee is acting abnormally, or has hinted at a desire to hurt herself, or is exhibiting other possible signs of mental impairment. The employer does not wish to stereotype the employee unfairly, or unlawfully “regard” the employee as disabled; yet, the employer also must ensure a safe work environment for other employees and others on the premises.
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Sixth Circuit
Court Ruling Finds One-time Harassment Can Constitute a Hostile Work Environment
By Tim K. Garrett on
Case analysis from Bass, Berry & Sims attorney Tim Garrett was included in an article outlining the impact of the Sixth Circuit’s Ault v. Oberlin College decision. In this case, the Court ruled that a one-time harassment event can be the basis for a hostile work environment. According to Tim’s analysis, “employers should prudently investigate…
What Makes a Volunteer? Sixth Circuit Clarifies Test for Determining Employment Status of Volunteers
By Bass, Berry & Sims on
Posted in Wage and Hour Law and Practice
Volunteerism is good and should be encouraged by employers. However, with its use come concerns that the persons engaged in the labor may not actually be considered volunteers by the courts. This is particularly true in the Sixth Circuit, where the court of appeals has rejected the “threshold-remuneration test,” an employer-friendly test that looks primarily and initially at whether there was any compensation or remuneration provided or intended for the work. The Sixth Circuit instead applies a balancing approach in which it considers all the common law of agency factors, raising questions as to how a court might “strike the balance.” In light of this uncertainty, employers should consider the following:
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