Makeup Rule Upheld By Ninth Circuit
Patrick H. Hicks and Veronica Arechederra Hall of Littler Mendelson, P.C.
On December 28, 2004, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in a 2-1 decision affirmed the dismissal of a female bartender's termination for failing to comply with her employer's dress and grooming standards, which included a requirement that female bartenders wear makeup. Jespersen v. Harrah's Operating Company, Inc., 9th Cir., No. 03-15045, 12/28/04. The decision upholds the right of employers to enforce reasonable dress and grooming standards as long as they do not impose unequal burdens on either sex.
Illinois Passes New Equal Pay Act and Expands Statutory Coverage
Angela R. Mersch of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP
On May 11, 2003, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the Equal Pay Act of 2003. The Illinois Act mirrors the federal Equal Pay Act in that it prohibits employers from paying an employee of one sex less than an employee of the opposite sex for work that is the same or substantially similar.
New Rulings Affecting the Financial Service Industry
Sara J. Ackermann,Michael Iwan and Melissa Raphan of Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Employment law is an ever-changing area. To keep you abreast of recent developments in the legal landscape, we have collected a number of cases that may be of special interest to you in the financial services industry. Each case discussed below features a party or an issue that relates to the financial services arena.