EEOC: Near-Record Number of Bias Complaints in 2009
If you think that employees are more hesitant to file formal complaints against their employers or former employers in bad economic times — for fear of retaliation or bad references — think again.
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Actions Speak Louder Than Words
What people do matters a whole lot more than what they say they’ll do. This statement should not surprise anyone. Actions speak louder than words. Then why is it that “smooth talkers” and “big talkers” often bluff and bluster their way though life despite their actions being very different than their rhetoric? People get caught […]
Paid Time Off – A Costly Mistake? How Does Your Company Stack Up?
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Instead of designating employee paid time off as vacation days, sick leave, and such, many employers have started to lump it together and simply call it paid time off, or PTO for short. But there are pros and cons. The advantages of undesignated paid time off for employers […]
2 Tricky Challenges: FMLA Bonding and Fetal Protection
Pregnant employees typically present a host of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) issues, and then, for many employers, there’s the very tricky balancing act of fetal protection—what to do when the mother wants to work in a job that might endanger the unborn child. FMLA Protection for Pregnant Employees Under FMLA, incapacity because of […]
DOL Releases Updated COBRA Model Notices
The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) just released updated COBRA Model Notices that reflect the COBRA subsidy extension that was part of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2010. The new COBRA subsidy legislation extends the original federal COBRA subsidy created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 […]
Can Holding a Grudge Hurt Your Bottom Line?
Two years ago, your company offered Bob a job, and he turned you down in favor of a newer, flashier start-up.
Employee Pregnancy—Recognize, Don’t Patronize
When employees become pregnant, everyone wants to be understanding and protective, but it’s easy for “protective” and “caring” to turn into “discrimination” in court. The general rule is, a woman affected by pregnancy must be treated the same as other applicants and employees on the basis of their ability or inability to work. Employees with […]
Ontario Adds to Broad Canadian Harassment/Violence Laws
By Alix Herber Canada’s two largest provinces — Ontario and Quebec — now have laws requiring employers to seek to provide workplaces free of “harassment.” No longer limited to human rights-related harassment, the term is broadly defined in these laws. Further, Ontario’s new law extends beyond harassment. It, like the federal law, also will require […]
Can Job Descriptions Lose Your Case in Court?
Job descriptions may seem mundane, but when they show up in court, they can kill your case if they’re not accurate. About.com‘s Susan M. Heathfield shares three key warnings for employers. 1. Job descriptions sometimes become outdated as soon as you write them. In this fast-paced, changing, customer-driven environment, it’s a challenge to keep job […]
Controversy Continues over NLRB Nominee
According to the New York Times, President Barack Obama has reportedly decided to renominate Craig Becker to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Last summer, the President nominated Becker, Mark Pearce, and Brian Hayes to the U.S. Senate to be members of the NLRB. In December, Becker’s nomination was returned to the White House for […]