Category: HR Management & Compliance

There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.

New Oklahoma law confirms enforceability of nonsolicitation agreements

Although noncompetition agreements remain unenforceable under state law, a new law confirms that Oklahoma employers may enforce agreements prohibiting former employees from soliciting a company’s employees to leave their jobs to work for another employer. For some time, Oklahoma employers have been able to contractually prohibit former employees from soliciting workers for a reasonable period […]

Employer Will Pay $50,000 to Settle EEOC’s First GINA Lawsuit

An Oklahoma employer will pay $50,000 to settle the first lawsuit the federal government filed to enforce the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act. The case, Civil Case No.: 13-CV-248-CVE-PJC, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which is tasked with enforcing GINA, filed suit […]

Administering a PTO policy in California

When administering a PTO policy in California, it’s important to understand how the law treats the accrued days in the PTO bank. This matters for California employers since accrued vacation days are treated as accrued wages and must be paid out upon termination. As such, the same rules apply to any PTO time that is […]

How to Exercise Effective Back Safety Training

Here are some exercises you can recommend to employees during back safety training. These easy tune-ups can help condition and increase flexibility to prevent back injuries. WARNING: Advise employees to consult with their doctor before starting any exercise program. If they are badly out of shape or already have a back problem, some of these […]

Silica, Slip-and-Fall, and More

Yesterday, we took a brief look at what OSHA is focusing on this year. Today, some more areas you as an HR professional should know about—plus an introduction to a detailed California-specific safety desk reference.

Do You Really Put Your Back Into Safety Training?

Why do your employees need to be trained in back safety? One in five U.S. workers suffers a back injury on the job. Back injuries are the second most common cause of days away from work, next to the common cold. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were nearly 200,000 reported back injuries […]

Vermont governor to sign equal pay bill into law on Tuesday

by Sophie E. Zdatny House Bill 99, titled “an act relating to equal pay,” has cleared both chambers of the Vermont Legislature and is set to be signed into law by Governor Peter Shumlin on Tuesday, May 14. The final bill amends Vermont’s Fair Employment Practices Act to provide that an employer may pay different […]

In ADA Cases, Courts Defer to Employers on Essential Functions

The Americans with Disabilities Act’s employment protections only extend to individuals with disabilities who can perform the essential functions of their jobs. And when it comes to deciding which functions are “essential,” courts continue to defer to employers’ judgment. In Knutson v. Schwan’s Home Service, Inc., No. 12-2240, (April 3, 2013), the U.S. 8th Circuit […]