Author: HR Daily Advisor Staff

News Notes: Feds Allow Use Of Unemployment Funds For Leave, But Status In California Unclear

The Department of Labor has put into place controversial regulations that would let states use unemployment insurance money to fund family and medical leave. The new rules broaden the scope of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, so that workers could receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave if they take time off […]

News Flash: Wage And Hour Hearings Wrap Up

On June 30, the Industrial Welfare Commission finished a series of hearings intended to finalize new wage orders that will be issued in October. At the hearing, the commission adopted new rules on a variety of wage and hour issues, including clarification of alternative workweek election and repeal regulations, changes to the meal period rules, […]

News Flash: San Francisco Unveils Compromise Living Wage Proposal

In an effort to head off a sweeping living wage initiative in the November election, San Francisco has negotiated an alternative proposal with business and labor groups that would boost wages for thousands of low-paid workers. If the plan is adopted, San Francisco would be the 46th municipality in the nation to require a living […]

News Flash: Los Angeles Jury Awards $551,000 To Sexually Harassed Employee

Darlene Edgington worked for plumbing contractor C. Herb Berger Inc. in Santa Monica. According to Edgington, the company president Ricky Berger referred to her as “buffalo buns” and told her to perform sexual acts on another employee. And the vice president allegedly drew and circulated a nude sketch of Edgington. Plus, Edgington accused management of, […]

News Flash: Workplace Drug Use Drops Dramatically, But Cheating On Drug Tests Increases

According to a new survey by Quest Diagnostics Inc., the country’s largest drug-test processor, drug use in the workplace has significantly declined. In 1988, 13.6% of employment-related drug tests were positive. By last year, however, just 4.6% of the approximately 6 million tests conducted by the company turned up positive. The study also reveals that […]

News Flash: Los Angeles Ordered To Pay $1 Million To Syrian-Born Worker

A Los Angeles jury recently awarded $1 million to Mustafa Rez, a waste management engineer for the city of Los Angeles who charged that he was discriminated against and harassed based on his national origin and Muslim religion. Rez claimed that after nine years of positive reviews, his problems started when he submitted a proposal […]

News Flash: OFCCP Won’t Extend Comment Period On Affirmative Action Proposal

In the July issue of California Employer Advisor, we reported on a recent proposal by the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs to revamp affirmative action guidelines for federal contractors. Several employer groups asked for an extension of the 60-day comment period on the proposed regulations, but the OFCCP flatly rejected their request. The […]

News Flash: Important New Rulings

Our cover stories for the July 2000 issue of California Employer Advisor deal with two important cases that may have a significant impact on employers. In one, the California Supreme Court ruled that you have the right to rescind or change personnel policies covering terms of employment. But the court set out several steps you […]

News Flash: Hearings On Overtime Exemption For Computer Professionals

The state legislature continues to consider a bill that wouldexempt professionals in the computer industry from overtime. As we went to press, theAssembly’s Appropriations Committee has a hearing set for June 28 on S.B. 88, whichalready passed the state Senate. The proposal would relieve computer-industry employersfrom having to pay overtime to hourly workers who earn […]

News Flash: Employer Advisor Takes Another Honor

We’re proud to report that California Employer Advisor recently received its second award for excellence in Instructional Reporting from the international Newsletter Publishers Foundation. The award was presented last month in Washington, D.C. We won our first award in the same category in 1996. However, we give the real credit to our subscribers, for the invaluable comments […]