Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
No federal or state law requires an employer to publish an employee handbook. However, many HR and legal professionals consider handbooks a best practice. A well-crafted handbook can provide legal protection in a lawsuit should an employee claim they were unaware of the employer’s policies. Handbooks provide vital information on standards of conduct for employees, […]
After three years of litigation, a court in Nevada ruled in favor of Sbarro, LLC, in a $178 million lawsuit in which a former employee filed suit against the company for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, retaliation, and negligent retention. The former employee alleged she was repeatedly sexually assaulted at work by her manager and that […]
A bill being called one of the most significant workplace reforms in decades means many employers will have to change the way they handle sexual harassment claims. The bill, which passed the U.S. Senate on February 10 with bipartisan support, was led by two senators who don’t typically favor the same legislation: Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand […]
With an estimated 36.2 million Americans working remotely by 2025, working from home has become the new norm. Although remote work has its benefits, it also diminishes open lines of communication between employers and employees, leading to issues in the workplace that go unacknowledged as a consequence of a dispersed workforce. Cyberbullying, harassment, and discrimination […]
Employers often make policy changes to address potentially discriminatory conditions. If you hope to use the changes as a defense to future bias claims based on the former policy, however, you must communicate them to your employees. A ruling from the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Arkansas employers) recently reinforced the lesson.
This week, we revisit not only a series I’ve previously written about but also an issue I blogged about in my first-ever “EntertainHR” post.
Wow. That’s all I have to say: Wow.
I last posted here in September and, man, oh man, has there been some water under the bridge. Sexual harassment exploded onto the front pages. The Harvey Weinstein story (read Kristin’s post here) seemed to open the floodgates. Since then, harassment allegations (and in many cases, more than allegations) have brought to heel business leaders, politicians, entertainers, athletes, and more. We even have […]
by Theodore Fong The risks to employers in sexual harassment cases can be big. Potential liability can arise from any decision. Employers may then find themselves having to make tough decisions on tight timelines. The key to ensuring an appropriate response is to be prepared. Preparation will permit an employer to take a proactive approach, […]
It’s the season of cardboard cupid decorations festooning cubicles and desks sporting little bowls of heart-shaped candies inscribed with messages such as, “Be Mine,” and “Love.” Valentine’s Day can provide a fun break from winter blahs around the office, but it’s also a reminder of a potential legal hazard — office romance. Employers struggle to […]
LITIGATION VALUE: Nominal (but only because Michael’s party was a flop) Unfortunately for employers, what happens in Vegas does not always stay in Vegas. As a result, employers are increasingly faced with liability for their employees’ “booze-fueled sex romps,” as Michael so elegantly put it. Maybe it’s the exotic locale, or maybe it’s the free […]