Tag: Section 7 rights

Severance

Case Study: Recent NLRB Ruling Places New Restrictions On Severance Agreements

Over the years, the NLRB has taken various positions regarding what activities might “chill” an employee’s right to organize, with some directors being very narrow in their interpretation and others extremely expansive. In evaluating whether language and severance agreements “chilled” these rights in 2020, the Board looked at both the plain language of the agreement […]

But my employees aren’t unionized! A trap for the unwary

by William J. Evans “But my employees aren’t unionized!” is a frequent exclamation uttered by employers when they learn they’ve been charged with violating their nonunion employees’ Section 7 rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). It’s a surprisingly little-known fact that the NLRA applies equally to union and nonunion workers. Accordingly, nonunion employers […]

executive

Firestorm over Google memo putting ‘diversity of thought’ in spotlight

What was meant to be an internal memo written by a male engineer at Google hit the internet in a big way in early August, igniting controversy that led to the employee’s firing and much discussion about the effectiveness of corporate diversity efforts.  The now-infamous memo raises questions on many fronts. Among them: Does it […]

Election dynamics in the workplace: Free speech? ‘You’re fired’

by Courtney Bru None of us were immune from this year’s presidential election dynamics. Disrespect and name-calling have seemed more prevalent than policy discussions. The election was highly polarizing, potentially pitting employee against employee.  In the midst of it all, employees were often misinformed about their “free speech rights” in the workplace. A recent instance from Georgia […]

#Fired: Post a tweet, lose your job

Many people enjoy spouting off what they view as 140-character tidbits of wisdom on the social media platform Twitter. But recently several individuals have found themselves in trouble with their employers (read: former employers) for their tweets or other social media posts.  One recent example was a loan officer from Michigan who crafted a racist […]

Olympics and the power of positivity and unity

They did it again. The Olympics sucked me in. I am an admitted hard core sports fan when it comes to my professional teams, but like most people I’m not usually watching swimming, beach volleyball, or [fill in the blank with virtually any other summer Olympic sport] in my free time. However, I always get […]

5 ways to finish the year on a high note

by Jan L. Fox As you began 2015, you probably made resolutions and promised yourself you would do better in the new year. As 2015 comes to a close, it’s still not too late to improve your professional practice. Here are five things an HR manager can do to bring 2015 to a successful conclusion. […]

What to say when CEO says don’t bother creating an employee handbook

Most human resources professionals understand the importance of a carefully written employee handbook. But sometimes the higher-ups in an organization don’t think about why such a document is advisable. Recently, a group of attorneys from the Employers Counsel Network, which focuses on employment law issues, was asked what to do when a CEO says a […]

Risky business to muzzle employee claiming harassment

When an employee complains to the human resources department that she’s the victim of sexual harassment, the proper course of action for the employer is to investigate the complaint. But once the investigation is complete and no evidence is found to support the accusation, it’s time to move on. Unfortunately, even the most thorough investigation […]

Are employer codes of conduct meaningless in today’s NLRB climate?

by Michael J. Westcott Based on the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent attack on employer codes of conduct, employers need to rethink their approach to communicating to employees the kinds of conduct that are prohibited and expected in the workplace.  Weapon of choice: NLRA Section 7 Many “old school” employers provide employees with work […]