WIRTW #544 (the “it's a shame” edition)

I love how my kid's school embraces their individuality and creativity. Back in the fall, my wife and I had a quick conversation with one of Norah's teachers about her music, which led to him suggesting that she bring her guitar to school to share a song at one of their Wednesday morning all-division meetings. After a few weather related false starts, Norah finally had her chance this week. She chose to play It's a Shame, by First Aid Kit.

I fully understand that I am a biased dad. But, I also think that my 12-year-old's cover of the song (recorded by one of her friends) was a home run. Here's the link if you want to listen.

Here's what I read this week:

Discrimination

• Walmart Changes Will Force a Disabled Employee Out — via Evil HR Lady, Suzanne Lucas 
• Missouri Supreme Court opens the door to LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections — via Workplace Fairness
•  “Same Actor” Rule Results in Dismissal of Race Discrimination Claim — via Minnesota Employment Law Report 
• If You Had Any Doubt That The Workplace Is A Microcosm of Society … — via FisherBroyles 
• Transfer of an employee to an alternative position during intermittent leave or reduced schedule leave — via Michigan Employment Law
• Supreme Court vacates Ninth Circuit Equal Pay Act decision — via Robin Shea's Employment & Labor Insider
• Employees won't tolerate inaction on sexual harassment — even for higher pay — via HR Dive

HR & Employee Relations

• It’s Time to Talk About Mental Health in the Workplace — via Fistful of Talent
• Does your company use no-hire agreements? Better call a lawyer. Maybe a criminal lawyer. — via Eric Meyer's The Employer Handbook Blog
• Should You Sign That NDA? — via Lifehacker
• Can My Employer Enforce A Noncompete Agreement I Never Signed? — via Screw You Guys, I'm Going Home
• How to Make Sure Your Board Sets a Good Example for Your Company — via Harvard Business Review
• Finding workers from Generation Z — via Mike Haberman's Omega HR Solutions
• Employer requires women to wear perfect makeup — and writes them up if it’s smudged — via Ask a Manager

Technology & Cybersecurity

• HR, it's Time to Get Your Employees to Unplug — via Next Blog
• Florida Bar asks for emergency suspension of lawyer for social media ‘attack of massive and continuous proportions’ — via ABA Journal Daily News
• A.I. = Worker Apocalypse? — via Labor Relations Institute
• Removing Unconscious Bias from Decision Making By Using Artificial Intelligence in the Workplace — via Laurie Ruettimann
• What's Next: Why You Need to Care About Blockchain — via Law.com's In-House Counsel
• Comcast set Xfinity Mobile PINs to ‘0000’ by default, leaving customers vulnerable to hacks — via The Verge 
• Website Accessibility Issues for Employers — via Trade Secret / Noncompete Blog

Wage & Hour

• Joint Employment Update: Ohio Law Throws Franchisors a Bone, But It’s Not Entirely Delicious — via Who Is My Employee?
• Employees Are Entitled to Reporting Time Pay if Required to Call In to Confirm Shifts — via The Labor & Employment Law Blog 
• Four Ways the New Paid FMLA Bill is Bigger Than You Realize — via Dan Schwartz's Connecticut Employment Law Blog
• I’m Taking my So-Called FMLA Talents to Littler! — via Jeff Nowak's FMLA Insights 
• How Severance Pay Is Taxed — via Lifehacker

Labor

• The Seventh Circuit Upholds City’s Ban on Union’s Inflatable Rat — via Hunton Employment & Labor Law Perspectives™
• Did Unions Drive Amazon Out of NYC? — via LaborPains.org

OSHA & Safety

• What Not to Do: Construction Contractor Charged With Lying to OSHA — via Employment Law Lookout
• Lockout/Tagout (LOTO): Electrical Safety Simplified — via Occupational Safety & Health
• USPS defenses against OSHA citation rejected — via Business Insurance