Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Scott Agthe By now, most Texans are familiar with the embarrassment of the Travis County district attorney, who was recently jailed for drunk driving. For you non-Texans, here is a synopsis: Rosemary Lehmberg, one of the highest-ranking law enforcement officials in Texas, was arrested one Friday night last April. A 911 call reported her […]
By Ralph Nero, Ross Gascho, and Keri Bennett As in the United States, some Canadian employers have attempted to eliminate or reduce post-retirement benefits in order to address escalating costs. In two recent cases, Canadian employers were found to be not entitled to reduce post-retirement health and life insurance benefits. Courts in both Ontario and […]
As I mentioned in my July post, the film Horrible Bosses has enough material for weeks’ worth of blog posts. With three atrocious bosses blatantly making the lives of their employees miserable and disregarding a long list of employment laws, it is certainly a plaintiffs’ attorney’s dream situation and an HR manager’s nightmare. I am sure […]
It’s not easy deciding who is right for a job. Employers have to study a candidate’s qualifications, education, experience, demeanor, and more. But sometimes the decision comes down to the little things—even a person’s laugh. The question an employer must consider is whether such a seemingly small factor poses any legal risk. Current employee wants […]
With Labor Day coming up, employers may be thinking about more than just how to celebrate the last holiday of summer. It’s also a time to look at the status of the American workforce, where it’s been and where it’s going. The U.S. Census Bureau notes the first observation of Labor Day took place on […]
by Heather L. Devine Recent cases call attention to the risk of using unpaid interns. Employers that aren’t cautious may be found in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Recent decisions In a case many of you may have heard about, a U.S. district court judge concluded on June 11, 2013, that Fox […]
If you’ve worked in your share of offices, you’ve probably seen at least one coworker post the following sign: “The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves.” Ah, yes. Morale. It’s six little letters, but it’s a big concept–especially when you start considering all of the ways that employee morale relates to productivity and profitability. Happy […]
By Lindsey Taylor A few weeks ago, we reported on the recent decision in Baker v. Navistar Canada Inc., which confirmed that unionized employees aren’t able to bring employment claims to court. Rather, these claims must be brought within the framework of the special legal relationship between the union and the employer, either by way […]
by Gary S. Fealk It is once again time for employers to report the demographics of their workforce to the Joint Reporting Committee of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The report, which is commonly referred to as an EEO-1 report, typically must be filed between […]
by Maria Reed On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Section 3 of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which had mandated that “in determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word ‘marriage’ […]