Vehicles Drive Wacky Worker Excuses for Bad Behavior
Vehicles are driving some wacky workers’ comp stories that resulted in fraud charges for a car driver and a bike rider.
Tag: disability
Clarity amidst confusion: handling mental disability claims
by Allison B. Wannop One of the most difficult issues employers deal with is how to accommodate an employee with a mental impairment under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Mental impairments can include depression, anxiety disorders, and psychiatric disorders that affect employees’ attendance and performance. Employers may have a difficult time distinguishing mental impairments […]
EEOC’s Extensive Q&A Clarifies Obligations to Pregnant Employees
Pregnancy discrimination is often motivated by concern—pregnant women don’t need to be stressed—or chauvinism—pregnant women should take leave. In fact, though, those attitudes are discriminatory. And the plot thickens if a disability or FMLA leave is involved. EEOC’s recent guidance helps employers figure out where they stand. Pregnancy discrimination is often motivated by concern—pregnant women […]
What HR pros can learn from Casey Kasem
If you were a teenager in ’70s or ’80s who loved pop music, you undoubtedly recall huddling next to your AM transistor radio, maybe with your cassette recorder on standby so you could hit “record” at the just the right time, listening to “American Top 40” with its mellifluous host Casey Kasem. Each week, Casey […]
Fragrance Sensitivities: Must You Adopt a Fragrance-Free Workplace?
Fragrance sensitivities are no laughing matter. To the sufferer, they can cause:
Dancing Hamster Is So Cute, but So Not Disabled
Have you ever seen the Kia car commercials with the dancing hamsters? They look pretty innocent, but that is the exact opposite! One of those hamsters is actually a fraud!
‘But it was due to my addiction’—when is last-minute confession too late?
By Kyla Stott-Jess It is not uncommon for an employee to disclose an addiction only when being terminated for misconduct that may be related to the employee’s substance abuse. The employee then tries to trigger human rights protections due to his or her “disability.” A recent Alberta court decision, Bish v. Elk Valley Coal Corporation, […]
If You Can’t Deduct, What Can You Do? (No More PTO)
Yesterday’s Advisor explored the challenges of dealing with exempt employees who have exhausted their paid time off (PTO). Today, if deducting pay is not an option, what is? Here’s how to approach the situation: First, if it is important for the employees to be in the office during consistent work hours, make sure that is […]
New DSM-5 Definitions: Some May Affect the Workplace
Recently, the American Psychiatric Association published its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). DSM-5 includes several diagnostic categories not present in past editions. In practice, this may mean that more employees may now qualify for protection under the ADA than ever before, and that means you must be at the ready […]
How Does the Reasonable Accommodation Process Work?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. It also requires that those individuals should be given reasonable accommodations (whenever applicable) to allow them to perform the essential functions of the job, as long as doing so does not create an undue hardship for the employer. Let’s […]