Tag: Susan Fahey Desmond

Alcohol and drugs in the workplace: What to do if you suspect substance abuse

Employers have an obligation to ensure employees are not using alcohol and drugs in the workplace because it could affect the safety of the whole team. There is latitude to discipline employees if alcohol or drugs are being used, but employers need to proceed with caution to handle the situation appropriately if substance abuse is suspected.

Job Description Alert—Disparate Impact Lawsuit Lurking

For a more detailed explanation, we turned to BLR/HRhero’s HR Guide to Employment Law, written in part by Desmond, who is a Partner in the New Orleans, Louisiana office of Jackson Lewis LLP. You could set yourself up for a disparate impact suit, Desmond says, if : Your listed requirements on the job description are […]

Job Descriptions—The Most Common Mistake

They assist you in clarifying what skills or traits you expect an applicant to meet. They help you to defend yourself in court should you be sued over your hiring decision. We found details in BLR/HRhero’s HR Guide to Employment Law, written in part by Desmond, who  is a Partner in the New Orleans, Louisiana […]

Unemployed Job Applicants Pose Practical and Legal Dilemmas for HR

Employers have started hiring again and are often overwhelmed with huge numbers of resumes, even for entry-level positions. Some companies have decided that an effective way to identify the best candidates is to refuse to consider job applicants who are currently unemployed. But a number of human resources professionals, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), […]

Health Care Reform Gives Employer Wellness Programs a Boost — But Be Careful

by  Susan Fahey Desmond Well, here it is — the Health Care Reform and Control Act. Beginning January 1, 2014, every individual will be required to have “minimum essential coverage” through individual market, employer-provided or certain other coverage (e.g., Medicare or CHIP).  Also, beginning January 12, 2014, any employer who employed an average of 50 […]

What to Do When Contagious Illnesses Come to Work

by Susan Fahey Desmond You’ve probably had enough of hearing about the swine flu (now called the H1N1 virus). It’s front-page news across the world. We are now in a full pandemic as defined by the World Health Organization, but the first thing to understand is not to panic. Your company may already have been […]

Using Wellness Programs to Reduce Health Care Costs

by Susan Fahey Desmond In addressing the ever increasing costs of health care in the United States, Congress is looking at options that would theoretically make health insurance more affordable to Americans. The task of making health insurance more affordable to all is monumental. President Obama has said, “There’s no quick fix; there’s no silver […]