Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
By Olivier Lamoureux In Séguin v. Dessau Inc., a tribunal, the Commission des relations du travail (CRT), upheld the dismissal of an employee who had behaved in a vexatious manner toward a subordinate he was enamored with. The dismissed employee had refused to collaborate in the employer’s investigation into an incident of psychological harassment.
E-mails, audio recordings, and video surveillance. This trifecta of evidentiary support was put front and center in two disturbing incidents from the sports world that made headlines in the past week. Earlier this week, Atlanta Hawks controlling owner Bruce Levenson stepped down, stating his intention to sell the team, because of a 2012 e-mail that he […]
By Alix Herber Inadequate investigation of employees’ discrimination complaints can expose employers to human rights damages. This is so even when employers do most things right.
Maryland is expected to soon become the 19th state to legalize medical marijuana. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) told the Associated Press that he “probably” would sign the measure passed by the Maryland Legislature earlier this month. The bill would allow academic medical research centers to prescribe marijuana to critically sick patients under limited circumstances. […]
A sweeping new U.S. Department of Labor enforcement initiative targeting California’s apparel industry may highlight wage and hour compliance issues for retailers and manufacturers. The companies that make, ship, market and sell clothing have long faced scrutiny over labor practices but industry proponents argue that they have made great strides. DOL appears to disagree, launching […]
By Michael Futterman and Jaime Touchstone California’s Fourth Appellate District recently upheld an $820,000 harassment verdict against Orange County for failing to stop or prevent nearly eight months of continuous harassment of a disabled corrections officer by county employees. Let’s take a look at the case. Disabled corrections officer harassed online and at work Ralph […]
Misconduct investigations are never easy for any HR manager. But they’re necessary and no one’s going to escape that duty for long. To make the job a little easier, attorney Jennifer Brown Shaw offers her suggestions for how to brief and question the complaining employee, the accused employee, and witnesses. Shaw is a partner in […]
Litigation Value: More fodder for a potential lawsuit by Oscar Martinez; at least $10,000-15,000 to help Dunder Mifflin muddle through the competing Darryl-Dwight complaints — and the only reason it is that low is that, at the end of the day, neither is likely to want to escalate their dispute further. Tonight we were treated […]
If there’s a critical time to watch what you say in the workplace, it’s when you terminate an employee. If an employee is accused of sexual harassment or other misconduct, ensure that you conduct a fair and comprehensive investigation. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that the allegations are true just because a complaint was […]
McCarthy Tetrault If you have ever thought it wouldn’t be worth the cost to investigate an employee’s criminal misconduct, the recent decision in Canada Safeway Limited v. Brown, [2007] B.C.J. No. 2400 (S.C.) might make you reconsider. Not only was the employee ordered to pay back the money she stole, the judge tacked on six […]