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Does your State Restrict References’ Qualified Privilege?

In yesterday’s Advisor, we found specifics of the immunity available for giving references in the 50 states. Today, states with special provisions, again with a nod to “The 50×50,” BLR/HRhero’s 50 Employment Laws in 50 States. Qualified Privilege with Restrictions Several states offer a qualified privilege, but with restrictions of one kind or another. AR—reference […]

How to Implement a Workplace Breastfeeding Policy

The letter of the law may only require employers to extend breaks and access to a lactation room to eligible employees on an as needed basis, but many companies are taking a proactive approach and looking to implement policies that will boost employee retention. According to Eileen Shue, vice president of corporate resources for the […]

Why You Need a Retaliation Prevention Policy

Employee retaliation claims are skyrocketing, and in 2011 these claims were the number one complaint to the EEOC. As a result, you need to know how to prevent retaliation claims from happening. At SHRM’s legislative conference in Washington, D.C. earlier this month, California employment attorney Jody Katz Pritikin, presented tips on how to prevent and […]

No Matter How You Pay Them, Tips Belong to Employees

Even non-exempt employees can cause confusion and employer liability under the FLSA. Often, employers run into trouble when attempting to classify their employees for purposes of pay exemptions. But equally tricky is how to pay non-exempt employees who have non-traditional forms of payment, such as tipped employees. The recent slew of major FLSA wage and […]

IRS Voluntary Classification Settlement Program: Proceed With Caution

In a recent move to encourage employers to correct past misclassification of workers, the IRS has established a voluntary compliance program, called the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program, or VCSP. The program permits employers to voluntarily reclassify their workers as employees for future tax periods with minimal tax liability for past non-employee treatment. To participate, an […]

New Simplified Process for More Foreign Workers Entering Quebec

By Gilda Villaran On February 24, 2012, a new simplified process for certain foreign workers seeking entry to the Province of Quebec was announced. Instead of applying to only seven information technology occupations, as before, the simplified process will apply to 44 occupations in a variety of fields. This is an important development not only […]

Juggling Act: When Work and Special-Needs Parenting Collide

By Tammy Binford It’s often easy for employers to be understanding when workers occasionally need to duck out of work early for a meeting at school or a trip to a child’s doctor. It happens to nearly every working parent once in a while. But what about an employee whose child has some kind of […]

Employers, Beware of Looming “Pattern-or-Practice” Charges

By Diane Pietraszewski The vast majority of all equal employment opportunity lawsuits are filed by individual employees or job applicants. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) may file cases on behalf of individuals, but it rarely does so because of limited resources. To get more “bang” for its litigation bucks, the EEOC is increasingly turning […]

This Decision May Not Make the Grade

By Jeanine Poole It may seem that requiring a high-school diploma for a job is a correct answer. However, a recent “informal discussion letter” from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) indicates that you may need to do more studying before making that choice. Background In October 2011, the state of Tennessee wrote the EEOC, […]