Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Dara Wanzer Complicated legal and moral issues may occur when an employee who has taken medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for alcohol-related health issues returns to employment. The Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently considered some of those issues and found that under certain circumstances, alcoholism can be […]
The proliferation of new laws addressing the possession of firearms has brought about an issue that could directly impact many workplaces. Gun owners with handgun carry permits can now, in many states, bring their guns into parks, bars, schools, and the workplace. Laws passed in at least nine states prohibit employers from banning employees from […]
For many employees, the need to care for sick or very young family members weighs more heavily these days. Jobs are scarce, and staying employed is crucial, but family needs don’t magically disappear. While the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows unpaid employee leave to care for others, it doesn’t apply to all employers, […]
by Rachel Blue Lately, we’ve seen a lot of employees walking out of buildings and plants with boxes of framed photos from their desks or lockers, and maybe a severance check in an envelope. The job cuts this time are deeper, and the next job may be further away than in the past. As a […]
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act) requires employers with 100 or more workers to provide 60 days’ advance notice of a plant closing or mass layoff. Sometimes employers need to act quickly to lay off employees and can’t provide the 60 days’ notice required by the WARN Act. A recent decision from […]
by Sam Fulkerson A new decision from the Tenth Circuit makes an important distinction about what constitutes a “consumer report” under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). In addition, new amendments under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) designed to prevent identity theft amended the FCRA effective November 1, 2008. Let’s look at […]
by Tony Puckett Recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new guidance on religious discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It also issued two other sets of materials addressing religious discrimination: “Questions and Answers: Religious Discrimination in the Workplace” and “Best Practices for Eradicating Religious Discrimination in the Workplace.” […]
Memorial Day, the unofficial start of summer, is just a few weeks away and many employers have started thinking about adding students to their workforce. Here are some issues to consider as those eager, money-hungry youngsters join your workplace. Safety first The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) […]
Samuel Goldwin, the legendary movie producer, was famous for lines like, “A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.” When he was dealing with employees, one of his favorite sayings was, “I’ll take 50 percent efficiency to get 100 percent loyalty.” What does that have to do with employment law? Loyalty. In the […]
John, a regular full-time employee of BigCo, received a jury summons from federal court. Upon learning he had to appear for jury duty, he called Jamie, BigCo’s human resources representative, to find out what he needed to do. Jamie told him that he needed to take personal leave for his absence. After hearing John complaining, […]