Cox offers employment law tips to human resource professionals
The Americans with Disabilities Act, Family Medical and Leave Act, Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the South Carolina Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and more were all topics Burnette Shutt & McDaniel attorney Sarah J.M. Cox covered in a keynote address to a Society for Human Resource Management conference.
The event was a joint conference of the Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens chapters. Sarah’s presentation was titled “Employment Law Pitfalls for Employers: How to Keep Your Mountains Molehill Sized.”
Sarah is an experienced employment law attorney at Burnette Shutt & McDaniel whose practice at the Columbia, SC law firm also includes appellate law, civil rights law, administrative law, and personal injury cases.
During the presentation, she covered a number of topics that, if not handled carefully, can cause major legal issues for employers. On the other hand, she told the group, taking simple and thoughtful preventative measures can help companies avoid costly employment law mistakes.
She talked about the various types of discrimination, including race, sex, national origin, religion, disability, pregnancy, age, sexual orientation, and more. She provided a definition of unlawful harassment and all that it can include, such as jokes, pranks, innuendo, and stereotyping.
She explained the difference between reasonable accommodations that companies must grant and refusable accommodations that companies can decline.
She also gave examples of actions that have landed companies in hot water, including putting an employee on unpaid leave against their will, not realizing an employee had failed a drug test due to a disability, allowing employees to work “off the clock” to complete assignments, and dating subordinates.
She touched on more recent developments in law, including situations involving masking and vaccinations, as well as the differences between independent contractors and employees.
Sarah offered a very succinct list of how companies can avoid lawsuits: Don’t be a jerk, teach employees not to be jerks, know the law, and put yourself in the other person’s shoes. If you have any doubts about whether an action is right, consult the company’s legal department or an employment law attorney.
Sarah, and other Burnette Shutt & McDaniel attorneys, are available to make similar presentations to business and professional groups. They also often speak at continuing education seminars across a variety of sectors. For more information, contact the firm at info@burnetteshutt.law or call 803.850.0912.