Office Romance in the Real World
Office romances are one of the biggest legal risks managers can take, says attorney Jonathan Segal. Even when relationships appear to be totally consensual, they’re dangerous from a legal standpoint.
Category: HR Management & Compliance
There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.
Beyond Discrimination: What Else Can You Be Sued for?
Most employers are all too aware of the danger of discrimination lawsuits, but there are many other legal threats in the HR arena. In today’s Advisor, attorney Allison West SPHR briefs employers on defamation, negligence, and fraud lawsuits . West, principal of Employment Practices Specialists in Pacifica, CA, offered her tips at SHRM’s Employment Law […]
Final Health Reform Exchange Rules Flesh Out Privacy and Security Requirements
Final rules that will govern the state-based insurance exchanges created by health reform include more detailed privacy and security requirements for the exchanges themselves and participating insurers. These restrictions also will apply indirectly to agents, brokers and others involved in this process. In the rules, published March 27 (77 Fed. Reg. 18310), the U.S. Department […]
Hopefully, My Escape Plan Will Pan Out Soon (Toxic Bosses)
In a Rare ADA Case Involving Bipolar Disorder, Worker Is Awarded $56K
A worker with bipolar disorder was awarded more than $56,000 after a federal district court found that his employer fired him because of his disability, in violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). The case is one of the first bipolar disorder suits the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has brought to trial. […]
GSA Chastened Over ‘Lavish’ Conference Expenses
Federal offices have to follow federal travel guidelines, and federal rates form the basis of tax treatment of private sector business travel reimbursements as well. But what happens when the federal government agency that develops travel policy goes astray from its own guidelines? The report by GSA Inspector General (IG) Brian D. Miller said that […]
6th Circuit: Failure to Pay Employee Salary Removed his ‘Exempt’ Status
An exempt employee must actually be paid in order to retain that exempt status, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently held. The case, Orton v. Johnny’s Lunch Franchise, involved a salaried employee who sued his employer for wages and overtime when, after beginning to experience cash flow problems, the employer stopped paying his […]
FMLA Certifications: When Can You Call the Doctor?
FMLA certification can be tricky to administer. On one hand, it’s a fairly straightforward way to ensure that the employee is truly eligible to take FMLA leave. On the other hand, what are you to do when the employee repeatedly forgets to give you the certification form from his doctor, or fails to return it […]
Cal/OSHA Inspections: How To Effectively Prepare For A Surprise Visit From Cal/OSHA
By Don Dressler, Don Dressler Consulting Are you ready for Cal/OSHA inspectors? Each year Cal/OSHA inspects between 9,000 and 10,000 employers in California, with 240 field personnel devoted to this task. If one of your employees has a serious injury (which must be reported to Cal/OSHA within 8 hours), that will likely trigger an inspection. […]
Top 10 Proactive Retaliation Prevention Strategies
Special from SHRM Employment Law and Legislative Conference Washington. DC In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Jody Katz Pritikin offered her tips on avoiding retaliation lawsuits; today, the rest of her tips plus an introduction to a unique 10-minutes-at-a-time training system for supervisors and managers. Pritikin, founder of Proactive Lawsuit Prevention, made her comments at SHRM’s Employment […]