When the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its “Employer Best Practices for Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities” guidance in April, it was a warning flare: Don’t stereotype or discriminate against caregivers in the workplace. It also was a response to a sign of the times. Just a few weeks earlier, in a case reflecting a national trend, the 1st Circuit ruled for a mother who sued her employer, charging the employer failed to offer her a promotion due to her child-care responsibilities.
“The EEOC guidance is a big reminder for employers to make sure they’re aware of the pitfalls in [workplace] policies, they’re aware of what their obligations are to employees and they’re aware of their own rights,” says Maria Danaher, a shareholder at Ogletree Deakins.
