Employment law issues in 2019 will mirror those of 2018. The past 12 to 18 months have brought a maelstrom of public attention to employment-related issues, including sexual harassment, structural inequity and disability as well as other workplace accommodations. These issues will unquestionably remain part of the employment law landscape in 2019 and beyond. Employers should be aware that not all of the pertinent employment issues are highly publicized, but all issues require attention and focus.

#MeToo

The #MeToo movement was born in fall 2017, after the revelation of a string of high profile sexual harassment complaints in the entertainment, news and sports industries. The hashtag spread virally over social media and thrust the issue into the national spotlight. The message was that, despite the existence of federal and state anti-discrimination and harassment laws, sexual discrimination, assault and harassment are still prevalent in the workplace in the 21st century. At the federal level, we saw response to the movement in new tax laws, as well as enhanced administrative agency action at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission  (EEOC) with both its training programs and a notable increase in the number of sexual discrimination/harassment cases filed.