Month: June 2010

Performance Reviews—Tool Bosses Use to Justify Pay

In yesterday’s Advisor, Samuel Culbert encouraged HR managers to "put the performance review out of its misery." He says HR is the only part of the company that benefits. (Go here for yesterday’s comments.) Today, we’ve got his suggestions for performance previews and an introduction to an extraordinary program for the compensation side of appraisal. […]

You Don’t Have to Be Blind to See

In his blog The Oswald Letter, M. Lee Smith Publishers’ President Dan Oswald shares a story from YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BLIND TO SEE by Jim Stovall about a woman determined to find her kidnapped baby. Ever the businessman, Oswald draws a connection between this mother who triumphs over adverse conditions that paralyze the […]

A More Serious Take on Debrahlee Lorenzana

When I first thought about writing a lighthearted piece on Debrahlee Lorenzana, she was still a little-known would-be sexual harassment litigant. A few days have passed, and she is now well on her way to being a worldwide phenomenon. It seems that every time you turn on the TV, there she is, talking about how […]

Do You Have the Correct Posters Up?

Why should you worry about employment posters? Two big reasons: 1. It’s the law. Every employer must have the most up-to-date minimum wage and other posters showing. And when the enforcement authorities hit your office, they usually head straight for your posters. It’s a quick and easy way for them to size up your compliance […]

Put the Performance Review Out of Its Misery

"It’s time to put the performance review out of its misery," says consultant and professor Samuel Culbert. "This corporate sham is one of the most insidious, most damaging, and yet most ubiquitous of corporate activities." Culbert, a professor of management at UCLA, goes on to say that the performance review is "a pretentious, bogus practice […]

E-Verify Redesign Coming Soon

Big changes are coming to E-Verify that will enhance its usability, security, accuracy, and efficiency. The newly redesigned E-Verify features a clean and modern design, easy and intuitive navigation, and clear and simple language. Additionally, a new home page, improved case management, and a streamlined tutorial are among the dozens of improvements coming to the […]

Court of Appeal Agrees with $25,000 Award for Loss of Apprenticeship

By Derek Knoechel As we reported in an article last year, courts across the country are generally following the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision in Keays v. Honda Canada: Punitive damages should be awarded only in exceptional cases, and moral damages should be limited to actual losses resulting from the employer’s conduct. That has left […]

Wal-Mart Faces Class of 1.5 Million; Your Suit Won’t Be That Big

Wal-Mart is poised to defend against a wage-related suit that could have as many as 1.5 million class members. Your suit won’t be as big, but do you think it’s a good reminder to review your exempt/nonexempt classifications? Here, from BLR’s experts, are explanations of many of the trickiest classification questions: Executive Secretary An executive […]

Next Million-Dollar Wage and Hour Lawsuit—Yours?

Just about every day, it seems DOL wins or settles another expensive lawsuit based on the "simple" laws of wage and hour. Today’s Advisor features beyond-the-basics questions that are often asked of the BLR® experts. Q. Can we give an extra week of vacation to cover any overtime? A. Providing vacation rather than overtime is […]

Reflections on a Repeat

NBC trotted out a repeat — St. Patrick’s Day — last night. My colleague, Jaclyn West, wrote an excellent piece focusing on work-life balance when the episode originally aired back in March. Jaclyn’s post made me think about potential wage-hour issues that arise when employers demand long work days. It’s no secret that wage-hour litigation is a […]