Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Chico’s FAS is defending itself against a lawsuit brought by a former employee who claims she was required to purchase Chico clothing while working for the retailer. Chico’s says it merely encourages employees to wear its clothing, providing them with discounts on their purchases. This is just the latest in a string of similar lawsuits […]
The question of whether a male executive’s standard of attractiveness, which led to the firing of a female employee, violated the California Fair Employment and Housing Act will be answered by the state’s high court. The California Supreme Court has agreed to review Yanowitz v. L’Oreal USA Inc., which we covered in the May 2003 […]
In addition to a 7.2 percent increase to premiums approved by Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, it appears the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Board will seek a 22.5 percent increase to rates. Watch future issues of CEA for additional workers’ compensation information.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is seeking comments on its recently released regulations for poultry processing facilities. The regulations include an overview of injuries common to this industry, ways to develop and implement safety strategies, and examples and tools available to improve ergonomic practices. Comments are due by Aug. 4, 2003.
Concern over Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome has spread around the world, and many employers are scrambling to take precautionary measures to keep SARS out of the workplace. But it’s crucial as you do so to be aware of state and federal antibias, wage-and-hour, medical privacy, and workers’ compensation rules that may come into play. We’ve […]
Suppose an employee’s medical condition prevents them from performing their job. Instead of exploring whether a reasonable accommodation is available, you terminate the employee. And, not surprisingly, you wind up with a disability-bias lawsuit on your hands. But what if it turns out the employee wasn’t disabled in the first place? Can you still be […]
You probably know it’s illegal to retaliate against a worker who complains in good faith about an unsafe work condition. But in practice, retaliation problems are not always so clear-cut, and they can sneak up on you. They often arise when an employee with a history of complaining starts griping about something you feel is […]
Deborah Wells was a bookkeeper for Clackamas Gastroenterology Associates, a medical clinic and professional corporation with four physician shareholders and directors and about 12 employees. When Wells was terminated, she sued the clinic under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The clinic responded that it didn’t have enough employees to be covered by the ADA. Join […]
Economic pressure may be forcing you to cut your workforce. And you may wonder if you can do anything to reduce your legal risks if an employee you’ve targeted for layoff has recently returned from medical leave. As one employer that recently sidestepped an expensive lawsuit learned, the answer may lie in how scrupulous you […]
With the economy still slumping, many employers are looking for creative ways to cut costs. You may be tempted to force some of your older employees to retire—but this strategy could land you in an expensive age-bias lawsuit. That’s because, under state and federal law, pushing older workers out the door is OK in only […]