Teresa McQueen, Author at Western Growers Association Western Growers Association

Teresa McQueen

Western Growers, Corporate Counsel III

Teresa McQueen is Corporate Counsel III for Western Growers. In that capacity she provides advice and counsel to the organization on employment law matters and commercial trade practices. She also provides legal guidance to Western Growers members on employment law, human resources, and commercial agreements, as well as providing law-related educational opportunities and overseeing annual […]

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Posts By: Teresa McQueen

Best Practices: The Rise of Protected Political Activity

Political and social activism are increasingly overlapping within the workplace, frequently catching employers off guard; particularly in non-union environments. While employees do not have a general right to engage in all political activity at work, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) may protect certain political advocacy when it qualifies as protected concerted…

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OSHA Updates NEP Protecting Workers from Indoor, Outdoor Heat Hazards

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has updated its National Emphasis Program (NEP) that protects workers from outdoor and indoor heat-related illness. Originally issued in April 2022, the revised National Emphasis Program – Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards uses OSHA and the Bureau of Labor Statistics data from calendar…

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ICE Updates I‑9 Inspection Process and Enforcement Consequences

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued updated guidance outlining how Form I‑9 inspections are conducted and the potential consequences of noncompliance under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The updated Fact Sheet provides greater detail regarding inspection procedures, employer obligations, and enforcement outcomes associated with Form I‑9…

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U.S OSHA Launches New ‘OSHA Cares’ Initiative

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a new safety initiative called OSHA Cares; an agency-wide effort focused on helping businesses meet federal workplace safety requirements. According to OSHA, through the OSHA Cares initiative, the agency hopes to empower employers to improve workplace safety – particularly small and…

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Arbitration Agreements: Small Details Can Make a Big Difference

A recent California Court of Appeal decision upheld an employer’s arbitration agreement, sending the employee’s individual claims to arbitration and dismissing the class claims. Important for employers is the court’s clear message that small drafting details can make a big difference in whether an arbitration agreement holds up to court scrutiny. In the case Tuufuli v. West…

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Best Practices: Don’t Let Leave Policies Create Liability

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit alleging a Florida poker room has violated the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) by refusing to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant workers. According to the EEOC, BestBet, Florida’s largest poker room, maintained a strict policy requiring employees to resign if they missed two weeks or more…

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