March Madness is here again. The brackets, the excitement, the employment law issues! Yes, many employers find that the annual NCAA basketball tournament goes hand-in-hand with employment law because, unfortunately, one of the most exciting sporting events of the year can also be the most problematic for employers.

Unlike other major sporting events such as the Super Bowl, which takes place on a single Sunday evening, March Madness lasts for weeks and roughly half of the games are played during traditional work hours. Studies have shown a huge drop in productivity during March Madness as employees tune in to watch games, check scores or research teams for their brackets on their computers and smart phones.