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Tweet Goes Viral: Gets Communications Exec Fired

It took an airplane flight for a communication executive’s inappropriate tweet to go viral and get her into trouble with her employer. The (former) senior director of corporate communications of an Internet company was fired after sending an offensive tweet on her way to South Africa. By the time she landed, the Internet was up […]

Employers Beware: Blanket Policies Prohibiting Workplace Recordings May Violate the NLRA 

In the past, employees recording audio or images in the workplace might resort to the use of a bulky tape recorder, a hidden “wire,” camera, or other device secured in a purse, on their person, or even a hard hat.  Now that smart phones with professional-grade audio and video capabilities are an integral part of […]

Quebec court upholds cause termination of employee for a single incident of theft

by Marie-Ève Gagnon Theft of merchandise by employees continues to be a recurring and costly problem for Canadian employers. The courts, however, do acknowledge the seriousness of the issue. Dismissal is often found to be an appropriate disciplinary response regardless of the value of the items stolen or whether the theft is repeated—unless mitigating factors […]

Learn Elements of ERISA Plan Status to Help Avoid State-law Claims

A former employee’s failed attempt to call COBRA coverage a “privately paid” policy, rather than an ERISA plan, in order to maintain state-law claims against a group health insurer offers a chance to remind employers about importance of knowing the legal status of their benefit plans. In the case, the individual sued the insurer for […]

Modest Change in Recordkeeping—Keep Everything Forever

Documenting the reasons for pay decisions is the key to avoiding liability under the new Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, says attorney Leslie E. Silverman. And you’re going to need to keep those records longer. The Ledbetter Act effectively extends the deadline for filing a pay-bias complaint under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act […]

Big Data—9 Dangers to Look Out For

Big data is being touted as the great new source of actionable information for HR pros. However, while big data analysis can produce some fascinating results, beware—big data can be accompanied by big dangers.

ADA

Accommodating Your Most Valuable Asset: Your Workforce

In part 1 of this article, we discussed how the fight for top talent is requiring employers to invest in keeping their current staff healthy and productive. Comprehensive disability management programs can be a key part of this approach—helping assess employees’ needs, connecting them with workplace resources, and providing accommodation recommendations to help them stay […]

Disastrous Discipline Mistakes Avoided with 8 Simple Tips

Discipline is one of the most basic and important supervisory roles, yet it is often handled poorly, sometimes with disastrous results. What goes wrong? How many times have you encountered these mistakes: Employees disciplined for doing something they have a legal right to do—like take intermittent FMLA or make an EEO complaint Inconsistent discipline that […]

Women’s Appreciation

LITIGATION VALUE: 1,000,000 + The “women’s appreciation” meeting was a bad idea that was poorly executed. I’m not saying that Dunder Mifflin cannot or should not recognize the achievements of its female employees. It should. I just think that the meeting shouldn’t be announced by saying “I know the crap out of women” and should […]