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Although most employers at least have an employment handbook, few companies treat it as a priority item. That’s a shame because a handbook presents a wonderful opportunity to communicate with your workforce about your organization’s philosophy, mission, and culture. Companies like Netflix and Nordstrom have demonstrated that handbooks can be effective without being dry and […]
by Jeremy M. Brenner The law prohibits discrimination against employees and applicants based on a number of protected statuses. Employers often implement policies that are intended to benefit workers but actually cause illegal systemic discrimination. Unfortunately, no matter how genuine an employer’s good intentions are, they typically do not excuse it from discriminatory conduct. Read […]
Your employee handbook can be interpreted as creating express or implied contracts, says Attorney Allan H. Weitzman; however, disclaimers and receipts can help prevent that from happening. Employee Handbooks: Every Word Counts One important thing to remember when it comes to handbooks and whether they create contracts is that state law controls, so you […]
By Ralph N. Nero and Keri L. Bennett When is a layoff not a layoff? When it is a constructive dismissal, according to an Ontario judge. McLean v. The Rawyal Limited Partnership reaffirms the principle that unless incorporated as an express or implied term of the employment contract, a layoff may be treated as constructive […]
Through the magic of Google Docs, the Walt Disney 1943 employee handbook is now publicly available online. We’ve taken a peek, and it’s clear that some of the policies have not aged nearly as well as Mickey himself.
Most employers these days have some kind of employee handbook. But oftentimes they lapse into an outdated state, or wind up loaded with all sorts of protocols, procedures, and guidelines — some of which have nothing to do with employment issues.
Almost every employer has policies. The question is, where do they come from? They come from HR, right? But where does HR get them? They must get them from somewhere. And what if you don’t have an HR department? Then someone must have to — gasp — write them. We’re talking about your employment policies […]
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment charges by men have doubled since 1992, accounting for 16 percent of the 12,696 sexual harassment charges filed in the 2009 fiscal year. And while female-male sexual harassment certainly makes up some portion of those claims, it’s evident that male-male harassment claims are also on […]
by Brian R. Garrison Most employers know that federal and state civil rights laws prevent them from discriminating against employees on the basis of their religious beliefs and practices. But when you hear the phrase “reasonable accommodation,” you usually think of your duty under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to accommodate an employee with a […]