Lauri Rasnick, a Member of the Firm in the Labor and Employment practice, in the New York office, and Margaret Thering, an Associate in the Labor and Employment practice, in the New York office, were quoted in an article titled "Experts Give Their Solutions to Difficult Workplace Problems."
Following is an excerpt:
Q: We've been suspicious that one of our workers has been a victim of domestic abuse. Are there policies we should have in place to outline what our options are when such a situation arises?
A: Yes, there are several things to do, according to Lauri Rasnick and Margaret Thering on the Employer Defense Law Blog. Here are steps to consider:
- Adopt policies that encourage staff concerned about domestic violence to seek protection at work without fear of retaliation.
- Include domestic violence victims as a protected class in your policies. Several jurisdictions, including New York, prohibit bias against victims of domestic violence.
- Depending on the severity of the violence, staff may fall under the protections of the FMLA or ADA in certain cases. Firms receiving requests for leave or accommodations for victims should consider whether there are federal legal requirements in responding to such requests.
