Why the federal government's culture war against LGBTQ rights might not matter

You would do well to remember just how fluid is gender

"Second Wave Goodbye," War on Women

According to the New York Times, the Trump administration is poised to wage war on transgender rights.

The Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth….

What you need to know about your office lottery pool

Late Friday afternoon (when the Mega Millions was only a mere billion dollars), I received a phone call from Brian Duffy, a reporter from our local CBS affiliate. "We are doing a story on office lottery pools. Are you the right person for me to interview about some of the legal risks?"

Two hours later, he was sitting in my living room with a cameraperson, interviewing me.

WIRTW #528 (the “paranoid” edition)

It's been a few months, but Fake ID was finally back on stage last weekend.


There's not much in life that makes me happier than seeing Norah perform.

Here's what I read this week:

Essential functions are judged by operational realities, not job descriptions

Tony Gunter worked as a press operator for Bemis, Inc., printing graphics for the outside of Huggies diapers. In January 2013, he injured his right shoulder on the job, continued to work for the next seven months, and ultimately opted for surgery when his ongoing physical therapy did not cure the injury.

He returned to his press operator job in December 2013 with temporary restrictions: no reaching with his right arm and no performing overhead work.

Timing of retaliation is key factor in reinstatement of employee's lawsuit

"See something, say something" is one of the most important elements of any workplace intent on stopping harassment. Employers are supposed to empower employees to report any harassment they witness, whether or not they are the target. Key to this idea is ensuring that employees who report harassment do not suffer retaliation as result. Retaliation of any kind will chill efforts of employees to say what they see.

With this background in mind, consider Donley v. Stryker Sales Corp. (7th Cir. 10/15/18) [pdf].

OSHA softens its hard line against workplace safety incentive programs and post-incident drug testing

It's been two years since OSHA announced its hard-line interpretation of its then newly announced anti-retaliation rules—that using incentive programs to penalize workers for reporting work-related injuries or illnesses, and that conducting post-incident drug testing without a reasonable possibility that employee drug use could have contributed to the reported injury or illness, constitutes unlawful retaliation under OSHA.

Last week, OSHA published a memo, which specifically clarifies that it "does not prohibit workplace safety incentive programs or post-incident drug testing." [emphasis in original]

What does this mean?

The 17th nominee for the “worst employer of 2018” is … the hedonistic harasser

Some call it horseplay. I call it sexual assault. And the 17th nominee for the Worst Employer of 2018.

Robert Smith worked behind the meat counter at Rosebud Farm, a small Chicago grocery store. It only took a few weeks after he started work for his male coworkers (including his direct supervisor) to start harassing him. They groped and grabbed his genital and buttocks. They reached down his pants. They repeatedly mimed oral and anal sex on him. And they did this for four years.

WIRTW #527 (the “Yeezy” edition)

There's a lot to say about Kanye's bizarre Oval Office meeting with President Trump.

But the most shocking? His iPhone password is "000000."

lmao Kanye's iPhone password is 000000 pic.twitter.com/mEM5Tjq0po

— Del Slappo (@misterjamo) October 11, 2018

Please, please, please, DO NOT DO WHAT KANYE DOES.

According to howsecureismypassword.net, Kanye's password can be cracked instantly. In other words, it's not a password at all.

You can read more about the importance of password security for you and your employees here.

Here's what else I read this week:

Make your business cyber-aware for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

Let's see how good your cyber-awareness is.

Do you know the top method of cyber-attack?

#HimToo is a BAD bandwagon on which to jump in your workplace

since she deleted it here’s a screenshot. one of the greatest posts of all time pic.twitter.com/Z6TUKOjH9T

— KT NELSON (@KrangTNelson) October 8, 2018

#HimToo

A hashtag started as a reaction to #MeToo, put forth by those who believe that false accusations of rape and sexual assault against men are common and happen way too often.

Employers, #HimToo is dangerous to your workplace.