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In a recent decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has given six former PacBell employees the green light to sue on charges that the company induced them to accept an early retirement package by not disclosing that it was considering offering a better severance program. The court rejected PacBell’s claim that it had no […]
A recent survey by the American Management Association shows that employers are stepping up their monitoring of employees’ Internet use, with 61% of employers reporting that they monitor Web surfing and 46% stating they keep tabs on e-mail. And some employers are going even further when it comes to trying to track down the identity […]
As rolling blackouts threaten to become more common, many California employers face the thorny issue of how to handle employee pay when the heat or lights go out. Here’s an overview of what you can and can’t do:
Agreements that prohibit an employee from competing with you after leaving your employment are usually illegal. That’s because contracts that prevent someone from engaging in a lawful occupation are against public policy and are void in California. Now a California Court of Appeal has ruled that you can be sued for making it a condition […]
Margaret Gardenhire was an eligibility interviewer for the Housing Authority of Los Angeles. She received outstanding performance ratings and promotions, and had even been named employee of the year. But after Gardenhire reported suspected illegal activity by a Housing Authority consultant, her performance rating plummeted and her boss threatened to fire her. She sued, and […]
New Department of Labor regulations on health benefit claims and appeals procedures reduce the time allowed for processing claims and reviewing claim denials. The rules apply to claims filed on or after Jan. 1, 2002, under all ERISA-governed health plans including employer-provided health programs such as dental and vision coverage, disability plans and HMOs.
The Department of Labor has released new regulations that will require you to revise your summary plan descriptions (SPDs) for pension and welfare benefit plans so they are more detailed than ever. Here’s a look at the information that must be included under the new rules.
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, compensation discrimination is still a very real workplace problem. Now, the EEOC has issued comprehensive new guidelines for when pay differentials are and are not legal. Here are the highlights.
The debate over a national ergonomics standard continues. The Bush administration is currently reviewing the new ergonomics rules, and at least 31 lawsuits have been filed challenging them. Plus, the question of whether there is scientific support for the standard is still open. A long-awaited study by the National Academy of Sciences concluded that some […]
Contracts that bar employees from working for competitors after they leave your company are unenforceable under California law in most cases. And now such provisions pose an even bigger problem for employers. That’s because a Court of Appeal has recently ruled that you can be sued for insisting employees sign a noncompete agreement as a […]