Privacy: Can an Employer Open an Employee’s Mail?
Does an employer have the right to open mail sent to a particular employee if it is sent to the employer’s address? — Andy
Archives
Medical Marijuana: How Does the New Supreme Court Ruling Affect California Employers?
I see there’s a new U.S. Supreme Court decision on medical marijuana. How does this affect me and my employees? I have an employee who uses medical marijuana to ease his glaucoma symptoms—is this still legal? — K.L. in Fresno
Employee Blogging: Can You Fire a Blogger?
I just found out that one of my employees is keeping a running diary on a personal website. A lot of the diary concerns his job here, his complaints about management and his coworkers, etc. Needless to say, I’m quite upset about this—it’s unprofessional, and I know he’s been encouraging other workers to check it […]
Employee Leave: What Constitutes Reasonable Accommodation for an Employee’s Disability?
We have several employees who have exhausted their leave time under FMLA/CFRA, but now we’re wondering if we have to accommodate them for additional time since they may be considered “disabled” under the ADA. How do we determine whether they’re in fact disabled, and, if so, how long do we have to allow these employees […]
Sexual Harassment: What to Do About Clients Who Harass Your Employees?
I work in a psychiatric hospital. We have been having a problem lately with patients sexually harassing our staff. Some of the clients are mentally retarded or mentally ill, and we’re not sure what to do about the harassment problem.— Susan
Wage and Hour: When Does the Missed Meal Penalty Have to Be Paid?
Can you give guidance on when the missed meal period penalty has to be paid? Does it have to be paid if an employee takes a 28-minute meal break, or if an employee takes their meal break after 51/2 or after 6 hours?— Anonymous
Employees May Shoulder Bigger Health Care Costs
According to the results of a new survey by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, business owners and benefits managers whose companies currently pay for at least some health-insurance benefits expect healthcare costs to jump an additional 12 percent over the next year–and they will ask their employees to pay an average of 21 percent of […]
Wells Fargo Settles Check-Cashing Fee Suit
Wells Fargo & Co. bank has settled a lawsuit that challenged the $5 fee charged by the bank for non-accountholders who cashed payroll checks drawn on a Wells Fargo account. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of California employers, claimed that the fee put businesses in jeopardy of violating a California Labor Code provision requiring employers […]
State Joins IRS in Tax Breaks for Hurricane Relief Donations
The California Franchise Tax Board has announced state tax benefits for businesses and employees who aid Hurricane Katrina relief efforts by donating the cash value of employee leave time. The program–which mirrors a similar federal IRS program announced last week–allows workers to donate unused sick, vacation, or other personal leave time in exchange for the […]
Employment Law Tip: Do Your Hiring Ads Screen Out Older Workers?
As the American workforce ages, the potential for running afoul of age bias laws is increasing for employers. As a result, all employers should consider how they can alter their policies and practices to reduce their risk of getting hit with an age bias suit. One place to begin is to review your hiring practices, […]