Tag: Employee Handbook

Layoff as constructive dismissal: a cautionary tale for employers

By Ralph N. Nero and Keri L. Bennett When is a layoff not a layoff? When it is a constructive dismissal, according to an Ontario judge. McLean v. The Rawyal Limited Partnership reaffirms the principle that unless incorporated as an express or implied term of the employment contract, a layoff may be treated as constructive […]

Make Your Employee Handbook Work for You

Most employers these days have some kind of employee handbook. But oftentimes they lapse into an outdated state, or wind up loaded with all sorts of protocols, procedures, and guidelines — some of which have nothing to do with employment issues.

Top 10 Potential Perils of Employment Policies

Almost every employer has policies. The question is, where do they come from? They come from HR, right? But where does HR get them? They must get them from somewhere. And what if you don’t have an HR department? Then someone must have to — gasp — write them. We’re talking about your employment policies […]

Male-Male Sexual Harassment Claims on the Rise

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment charges by men have doubled since 1992, accounting for 16 percent of the 12,696 sexual harassment charges filed in the 2009 fiscal year. And while female-male sexual harassment certainly makes up some portion of those claims, it’s evident that male-male harassment claims are also on […]

Addressing Employees’ Religious Beliefs and Practices in the Workplace

by Brian R. Garrison Most employers know that federal and state civil rights laws prevent them from discriminating against employees on the basis of their religious beliefs and practices. But when you hear the phrase “reasonable accommodation,” you usually think of your duty under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to accommodate an employee with a […]

Employer’s Guide to Writing Employee Handbooks

by Peter M. Panken An employee handbook tells workers what they’re getting, instills a team spirit, and lets people know what the rules are. It should emphasize the employer’s fair treatment and how it provides significant benefits like vacations, holidays, health insurance, and retirement benefits. It lets the workers know they can grieve to get […]

It’s College Bowl — and Office Pool — Season

by John Husband Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. ~ Vince Lombardi I understand what it means to be an avid college football fan. In my earlier days, I was fortunate to be on three Big Ten Conference […]

Are Employees Using Company Computers to Work or Shop?

The holiday season is just around the corner, and busy employees are increasingly doing their shopping at the world’s gigantic electronic marketplace, located conveniently on their office computer. Careless e-mail use can end up as a huge lump of coal in an employer’s stocking — in the form of evidence used against it in litigation. […]