One effective way to get a message across is to force everyone to listen to it. Employers have traditionally done so with what’s commonly known as mandatory captive-audience meetings. But for employers, holding all-hands meetings to discuss certain topics and penalizing staff who do not attend is now illegal. In California, a law went into effect Jan. 1 making it illegal to force employees to attend meetings where employers discuss political or religious topics. If an employee declines to attend, they cannot be penalized under the law. Similar laws have been passed in states including Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. In this piece by Hailey Mensik, we speak to Deena Merlen of Reavis Page Jump LLP, Mark F. Kluger Employment Lawyer of Kluger Healey LLC, and Rick Fanning of Clark Hill Law.
