Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Norman Hutton, a diabetic who worked for Portland, Ore. based chlorine manufacturer Elf Atochem North America Inc., sued for disability discrimination after he was terminated following a series of on-the-job hypoglycemic episodes. Elf claimed it didn’t have to keep Hutton in his job because his condition created a direct safety threat to the workplace—and now […]
Employers in Illinois that have not done so may need to adjust their plan documents to reflect the new legality of civil unions in that state. Civil unions are legal in Illinois, Hawaii and New Jersey — and will be available in Delaware next year. The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act went […]
Could sexual orientation protections be required in your workplace? The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down a state law prohibiting sodomy, could have sweeping implications for employers. Although many protections are already available to California employees, the court’s broad language suggests that gay employees may now enjoy more protections under […]
California is the most recent state to enter into a pact with the U.S. Labor Department aimed at cracking down the improper classification of employees as independent contractors. Nancy J. Leppink, deputy administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division, and California Labor Commissioner Julie A. Su announced their recently signed memorandum […]
As we head into the last week of 2006, employers that haven’t done so already must take quick steps to ensure they’ll be ready to comply with the new California minimum wage come January 1.
The California Supreme Court has handed down a ruling that could save employers and their insurers hundreds of millions of dollars in workers’ compensation benefits.
Employment Law Guide in Your State — 2011 Are you ready for 2011? The most up-to-date version of BLR’s Employment Law Guide—In Your State is now available. It pulls together all the federal and state laws you need to know about to stay in compliance. The guide includes all changes that federal legislators and regulators […]
I was recently hired as the director of our organization. This organization has never set pay ranges or pay scales for our employees, and we are currently paying some employees well above market rates. The Board of Directors would like to set a new pay scale for all employees, which will result in varying pay […]
What kind of employee do you think your employers planned on getting when they hired you? Someone who appreciates: The company’s need to make a profit and who feels a responsibility to help in every way possible? The need for keeping production up and costs down in order to compete successfully in the market? The […]
The federal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal has reconsidered two opinions it issued last year. In one case, the court had ruled that the anti-retaliation provisions of the federal wage and hour laws don’t protect workers who are fired for griping about overtime violations directly to their employers rather than to the government. The court […]