Arkansas Businesses Should Prepare for New Laws Passed by the State Legislature
The Arkansas General Assembly adjourned from its 94th Regular Session on May 1, 2023, starting a 90-day clock until acts passed by the General Assembly become the law of Arkansas. Business owners, professionals and entrepreneurs should be aware of these acts set to become law on July 31. 1. Act 256…
Can You Discipline Employees for Workplace Outbursts? NLRB Says It Depends on the Setting
June 13, 2023
by Audra K. Hamilton
Imagine that an employee in a workplace meeting stands up, and in a profanity-laced tirade, calls the manager in the meeting several names not fit for print. Most employers would immediately discipline, if not fire, that employee for violations of any number of workplace rules, such as…
Preparing for Compliance With the PUMP Act and Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Pregnant workers are currently protected under various acts including Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP). With all of these acts, gaps still exist in the…
ChatGPT in the Workplace—A Legal Minefield! What You Need to Know to Protect Your Business
May 8, 2023
by Devin R. Bates
As artificial intelligence (“AI”) technology continues to advance, more and more people are logging on and experimenting with the technology. ChatGPT, one free and popular AI, is reportedly the fastest-growing consumer application in history.[1] But it is also ripe for abuse in the workplace. For…
Subjective Criteria for Hiring Decisions or RIFs May Be Problematic
April 10, 2023
by Audra K. Hamilton
Mergers and acquisitions bring lots of financial opportunity, but they can sometimes result in upheaval in the workforce as the new entity determines whether it will operate business differently from its predecessor. If the new business decides to change the workforce, how should it make those…