Month: April 2008

No Smoking! Ever. Can You Ban smoking—Even Off Duty?

Employers are increasingly concerned about the health of their workforces for many good reasons. One is that poor health costs them money, says attorney Antoinette Pilzner. There are substantial expenses related directly to health care, and additional costs from indirect issues, such as absenteeism, presenteeism, workers’ compensation, and productivity. A big part of the problem […]

401(k) Fee Cases: Hot Area for Litigation

In the past year, litigation filed under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) has exploded, and it’s quickly becoming an ever-present reality for employers. One of the most recent and fastest-growing areas of this litigation involves 401(k) fee cases. Because the lawsuits are very new and still not well publicized, they catch many employers […]

Chair Model

LITGATION VALUE:  $6,000 – $10,000 Despite what you might think, Michael’s demand that all employees provide him with candidates to serve as the mother of his children does not violate any major employment law.  After all, Michael made the demand of all employees and not, for example, only female employees or employees of a particular […]

Would Any HR Professional Pick One of These Candidates to Be CEO of the USA?

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Next Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary may finalize the field for the upcoming presidential election. But would any of these candidates pass a CEO interview? And what would you ask? Let us know and we’ll publish your replies. Our presidential selection system is a disaster—and a thing of beauty. Hundreds […]

In Your Facebook: Routine or Risky?

Yesterday’s Advisor covered reasons why HR managers should avoid Internet background checks using Google, Facebook, MySpace, and other websites. But that’s not the end of the story. In our last issue, an HR expert cautioned managers to avoid Internet background checks of potential hires. Legally, she’s right. Realistically, HR people are doing them anyway. The […]

Race Bias Charges and Lawsuits Result in Costly Settlements

A federal judge recently granted final approval of a settlement resolving a class action race bias lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against Walgreens Co., the nation’s largest drugstore chain. Under the settlement, Walgreens will pay over $24 million to approximately 10,000 African-American workers who charged they were discriminated against in […]

Death To All Sacred Cows

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book Death To All Sacred Cows: How Successful Business People Put the Old Rules Out to Pasture by Bill Schwab. Review highlights book theory about how email does not always save and tips for effective use of email. I just finished reading a really funny book, Death to […]

Hiring Based on Internet Searches: Are You Dodging the Bullet or Becoming the Target?

If you rejected a candidate because of information you found on the Internet, did you dodge the bullet of a bad hire or make yourself the target of a big ticket lawsuit? Here’s one expert’s advice. Doing a Google® search on a job applicant—it’s sooo tempting. Facebook®, MySpace® and a dozen other sites are just […]

Great California Workplaces: California Pacific Medical Center Invests in Its Employees; Winning Strategies

California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) in San Francisco is this year’s winner of our 2007 Great California Workplaces Award in the nonprofit category. Like most hospitals, it faces a difficult challenge of attracting and retaining qualified employees: Healthcare professionals—especially nurses—have many options in today’s job market, and they’ll go where they can best utilize their […]