Photo of Tiffany A. Buckley-Norwood

Tiffany A. Buckley-Norwood is a Principal in the Detroit, Michigan, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. and is a contributor to the Disability, Leave & Health Management Blog. Ms. Buckley-Norwood represents employers in federal and state lawsuits, administrative proceedings and appellate cases regarding FMLA leave and breach of contract, in addition to claims based on discrimination, harassment and retaliation. She also counsels HR professionals and business leaders on best employment practices, drafts employee handbooks and agreements, conducts liability prevention training at employer worksites, and advises employers on compliance with the OFCCP’s affirmative action requirements for federal contractors.

Learn more about Ms. Buckley-Norwood on the Jackson Lewis website.

With 53 presumptive-positive cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan as of March 15, Michigan is taking proactive steps to reduce transmission of the virus. Below is a brief synopsis of what employers need to know.

On March 10, 2020, Michigan’s Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency in Executive Order 2020-4.

With the increase in the number of states that require various types of paid leave, now is a good time to examine your leave policies.  While often overlooked, one policy that could expose an employer to liability is its maternity leave or parental leave policy. 

 As the EEOC’s Guidance on Pregnancy Discrimination and Related Issues

While off-the-shelf employee handbooks can be cost-efficient in the short-term, sometimes they leave important employer defenses on the table.  This is particularly true for state-specific defenses.  For example, while most Michigan employers know it is best to include a reporting procedure for harassment in their employee handbook, many do not know that Michigan’s Persons with

Call centerHow many employers have had this situation arise?  An employee requests and receives FMLA leave.  While they are out, the employee’s supervisor needs to locate a document, find out the status of a project the employee was working on, or a crucial question comes up that only the employee on leave can answer.

According to