The Dallas Hospitality Employment Lawyer Blog

Permitting employees to celebrate the spirit of Halloween in the workplace can be a fun morale booster.  A few simple tips for Human Resources can help minimize employment-related risks: 1.  If you allow employees to wear costumes, establish clear and specific policies regarding the dress code.  Examples of unacceptable costumes might include those that: are inappropriately skin-revealing, or include rips or tears that are inappropriately skin revealing;  include special effects,  such as fake blood, oozing fluids, or body parts (think current zombie craze); include props that could be upsetting to patrons or guests, such as fake knives, guns or other weapons;  include strobe-type lighting that could trigger seizures in some people; cover the employee's entire face and mouth (unless there is a legitimate medical or religious exception);  could be construed as derogatory toward any religious or social group (but be mindful of rules prohib...

Thumbprint and retinal scans are no longer the stuff of science fiction thrillers, and a growing number of employers are turning to biometric identification as a way to track employees' time and attendance.   For employers considering implementing this type of technology, tread cautiously.  Last month, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed suit against a company that uses a biometric hand scanner to track its employees' time and attendance.   See   EEOC v. Consol Energy, Inc. and Consolidation Coal Co ., No. 1:13-CV-215, In the United States District Court, for the Northern District of West Virginia. So what's the issue? The answer may surprise you.  The employee on whose behalf the EEOC filed suit, an Evangelical Christian, contends there is a relationship between the hand-scanning technology and the Mark of the Beast (associated with the right hand and the forehead, for those of you who are curious and want to refer to Chapter 13, ...