Author: Jennifer Carsen

Be Careful When Scheduling Split-Shift Meetings

Yesterday, Garrett Jensen of the Orange County office of Carothers, DiSante & Freudenberger LLP spelled out the facts of a recent court case in which an employee claimed he was entitled to reporting time pay on days he had meetings scheduled. Today, the court’s ruling.

Investigation 101—Confronting the Alleged Offender

Yesterday’s Advisor offered tips for interviewing an employee who has made a harassment or discrimination complaint. Today, how to interview the alleged offender, plus good news—there’s a upcoming virtual summit webinar on How to Conduct Investigations. For help we turned again to HRhero/BLR’s Workplace Investigations: the HR Manager’s Step-by-Step Guide written by attorney Jody Shipper. […]

Flex, Fitness, Financial planning, Free Food, Concierge? Benefits Survey Results

For example: About 38 percent offer wellness programs About one third offer flextime, only about one fifth offer telecommuting, and nearly 64 percent offer a flexible spending account About 21 percent think their benefits are more generous than their competitor’s and about 42 percent think their benefits are about the same (although 30 percent don’t […]

Wal-Mart, DOL Reach Agreement for $5M+ Settlement Over FLSA Violations

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. will pay almost $5.3 million in penalties, damages and back wages for overtime violations at stores nationwide, the U.S. Department of Labor said on May 1. According to the agency, 4,500 vision center managers (VCMs) and asset protection coordinators (APCs) at Wal-Mart Supercenters, Wal-Mart Discount Stores, Neighborhood Markets and Sam’s Club Warehouses were […]

One of HR’s Delicate Tasks—The Investigatory Interview

EEOC requires a “prompt, thorough, and impartial” investigation of complaints of discrimination and harassment. In today’s Advisor, how to interview the complaining employee and the alleged offender. For help with this tricky task, we turned to HRhero/BLR’s Workplace Investigations: the HR Manager’s Step-by-Step Guide. Interviewing the Complaining Employee Attorney author Jody Shipper suggests HR investigators […]

Can an Employer Subpoena Facebook Records to Get Information for an Employment Law Case?

As the implications of using social media in the workplace continue to loom large, not surprisingly, how such use affects information-gathering in employment law cases is gaining attention. Among the questions raised: In an employment-law dispute, can an employer subpoena an employee’s Facebook account as part of its evidence gathering? Yes, but with restrictions. Employers […]

Amid Criticism, Labor Withdraws Plan to Limit When Children May Work on Farms

The U.S. Department of Labor is abandoning its plan to limit when children under the age of 16 can work on farms. The plan, proposed in the fall, limited the Fair Labor Standards Act’s “parental exemption” and was intended to help reduce farm-related accidents. Introducing the now-defunct proposal, DOL officials said they were responding to […]