Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
A California court of appeals has ruled that an employee cannot recover punitive damages for the employer’s violations of state Labor Code provisions governing meal and rest breaks, pay stubs, and minimum wages.1 That’s because those Labor Code provisions include specific remedies, including penalties that are punitive in nature—and those are the only remedies available. […]
When an employee files a lawsuit that turns out to be frivolous, the employer can usually recover its own attorney’s fees expended in defending itself in the case. But now, in a blow for employers, a California appeals court has ruled that Exxon Corp. could not recover attorney’s fees it was required to expend to […]
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved two pieces of legislation that proponents say will boost protections against gender discrimination in compensation. The first, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to declare that an unlawful employment practice occurs when (1) a discriminatory compensation decision or […]
Poor economic conditions are contributing to a rise in workplace theft by employees, according to a new survey of 392 employers conducted by the Institute for Corporate Productivity. Twenty-four percent of all respondents and 31 percent of respondents at large companies (10,000 or more workers) reported an increase in theft of office supplies, products produced […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has just released a ruling in the case of Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, concluding that Title VII’s anti-retaliation provision extends to an employee who speaks out about discrimination while answering questions during an employer’s internal investigation.
Employee engagement is one of today’s hot HR topics. Schawk, Inc., found that its automated appraisal and evaluation system has dramatically improved both communication and employee engagement. That’s the word from Jennifer Erfurth, global vice president of HR at Schawk, Inc., a provider of knowledge-based brand image management solutions. Her comments appeared in BLR’s Best […]
The federal government has decided to delay implementation of a rule that requires federal contractors to use E-Verify to verify their employees’ eligibility to work in the United States. The rule was scheduled to take effect January 15; implementation has now been delayed until February 20. We’ll keep you posted.
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Today BLR founder and CEO Bob Brady looks at the pros—and many cons—of e-mail and meetings, and he asks for your opinions about the biggest e-mail annoyances. Which wastes more time, e-mail or meetings? According to no less an authority than the New York Times, the economy loses […]
Knowing what questions to ask applicants is key to finding the right people for your company. But it’s just as important to know what questions not to ask to avoid potential lawsuits. For example, asking job applicants about personal information like marital status, sexual orientation, and pregnancies can be one of the quickest routes to […]
Yesterday’s Advisor featured Janove’s “jerks at work” tips. Today, more on managing jerks, and an introduction to a training program that might just stop your jerks in their tracks. Some of the trickiest territory for supervisors is dealing with whistleblower jerks and jerks with disabilities, says attorney Jathan Janove. He offered a few cases where […]