Respecting the Work-Life Balance: Navigating the Twists and Turns of Family Responsibility Discrimination Claims
Claims Management · November 2013 ·by Karen Kalzer
In December 2012, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued its Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP) for 2013-2016. Of the six enumerated strategic priorities, at least three implicate the ever-growing litigation trend of family responsibility discrimination (FRM), the term used to describe discrimination involving family caregivers.
Although the focus of increasing attention, there is no specific FRD statute and “caregiver” isn’t yet a specifically protected class. Instead, a conglomeration of statutes and rulings provides for some level of protection and a basis for pursuing claims.
About the Author
Karen Kazler practices employment and education law with an emphasis on defending complex litigation for communities of faith, non-profits, schools and private employers. She holds the CLMP designation and has been a member of CLM since 2010.