Month: August 2007

Business School Revisited

Litigation Value: 33 million???? Typically, the workplace is not an appropriate location to practice “creative discipline.” Such “creativity” can be, and often is, misconstrued. Take, for example, Ryan. Michael was retaliating against him for making disparaging remarks about the company. Probably not illegal but easily could have been had Ryan engaged in an activity protected […]

Should Everyone’s Pay Be Published? Our Readers Talk Back

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady When BLR’s CEO came out against proposed laws making salaries public after the recent U.S. Supreme Court case on the matter, readers reacted strongly … in both directions. Recently, I used this space to agree with a U.S. Supreme Court decision that discrimination in pay cases cannot be […]

8 Policies to Curb Employee Technology Misuse

Two experts prescribe 8 policies to handle workplace technology misuse problems. You could write them yourself, but there’s also an easier way … Yesterday’s Daily Advisor used the introduction of the new Apple® iPhone™ as an entrée into a discussion of the issues new technology has raised in the workplace. We recounted how in a […]

Exempt Employees: Court Sheds Light on the Administrative Exemption

The administrative exemption from overtime can be one of the most difficult of the various overtime exemptions to apply, and it causes employers the most headaches. Now, in one of the few published judicial decisions to address this subject, a California appeals court has provided guidance on who qualifies as an exempt administrator. Customer Service […]

Wage and Hour: Supreme Court Upholds “Companionship Services” Exemption

Evelyn Coke, a domestic worker who provided companionship services in New York, sued her employer, Long Island Care at Home, Ltd. She alleged that the company didn’t pay her overtime wages, in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The employer asked the court to dismiss the suit because Coke and workers like […]

Short Takes: Bereavement Leave

Does the law require us to provide bereavement leave?  Our HR Management & Compliance Report: How To Comply with California and Federal Leave Laws, covers everything you need to know to stay in compliance with both state and federal law in one of the trickiest areas of compliance for even the most experienced HR professional. […]

Child Labor Fines May Raise

The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that would raise the maximum fine for violating the child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Child Protection Act of 2007 (H.R. 2637) would raise from $11,000 to $50,000 the maximum fine for violations that cause the serious injury or death of an employee […]