Social Media NetworksNowadays we are constantly bombarded with news of events that arouse our political views. Social media both perpetuates these events and provides a platform for virtually anyone to express their social and political views. Political views are often visible to coworkers, including management and supervisors who have the discretion to make termination decisions. What difference might this make for South Carolina employers?

South Carolina statute S.C. Code §16-17-560 makes it a crime to “discharge a citizen from employment or occupation . . . because of political opinions or the exercise of political rights and privileges guaranteed to every citizen by the Constitution and laws of the United States or by the Constitution and laws of this State.” In certain circumstances, an employee may bring a lawsuit against their employer for wrongful termination when this section is violated.…
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Lactation Room Sign

We recently highlighted the “Act to Establish Pay Equity,” which was spearheaded by the SC Women’s Rights & Empowerment Network (WREN).

WREN is also supporting the “South Carolina Lactation Support Act” that expands upon the Pregnancy Accommodations Act by providing nursing employees with the right to break time and private space to express milk in their workplaces. A key provision of the Lactation Support Act is that it would apply to all employers, regardless of the number of employees.…
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Coffee mug and iPad
Join us for our 2019 Employment Law Series where HSB’s Employment Law team will present a complimentary one-hour breakfast session each month on key employment law topics. Each seminar will provide a detailed update on the important issues and trends impacting South Carolina’s employers. Presentations will be live-streamed to our offices in Charleston, Columbia, Florence and Greenville each month so you can attend in the city of your choice.

Chris Gantt-Sorenson will kick off this year’s program on February 28th with a discussion on proposed legislation impacting South Carolina employers, including a primer on South Carolina’s Pay Equity Act, Lactation Support Act, Background Checks and Ban the Box legislation.…
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The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) held public listening sessions on October 30, 2018 to gather views on the Part 541 white collar exemption regulations, the 2016 “Overtime Rule.” Sessions were held in Atlanta, GA, Seattle, WA, Kansas City, MO, Denver, CO, Providence, RI, and Washington DC. A review of the actual transcripts reveals that many different interests presented comments, including human resource professionals, small business, nonprofits, employees, employers, attorneys, and large businesses. Full renditions of the transcripts by city can be found here.

The DOL posed these questions for addressing at the Listening Sessions:…
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On July 31, 2018, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Labor (DOL) signed an agreement that sets guidelines for inter-agency collaboration to combat suspected employer non-compliance with immigration laws. The agencies have agreed to share resources, including records, and education and training where necessary, and refer cases to one another when an agency learns of employer non-compliance.…
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