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Benefits and Pitfalls of Electronic Recordkeeping

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Catherine Gray covered the basics of electronic recordkeeping; today, its benefits and pitfalls, a warning about shadow records, plus help with the most basic records of all—job descriptions. Gray, an associate in the Hartford, Connecticut office of Robinson and Cole LLP, delivered her remarks at BLR’s National Employment Law Update recent, […]

Serious Lack of Trust in HR Continues into the Coronavirus Outbreak

Do employees trust HR? That’s the question two different organizations sought answers for in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. Each found discouraging results that should be of serious concern as HR faces the many challenges brought about by the virus. I had a chance to discuss the findings of each with a number of […]

North Dakota eases PTO payout rules

by Lisa Edison-Smith Because of new legislation taking effect August 1, private-sector employers in North Dakota will find it easier to avoid paying out unused paid time off (PTO) or vacation time when employees quit. Under the old law, an employer was required to pay a departing employee for any PTO or vacation time that […]

Key tips to remember when counseling and disciplining employees

by Michelle Lee Flores There is nothing like a gentle reminder or a “cheat sheet” to look at when counseling or disciplining employees. The key thing to remember is that although nothing can absolutely insulate you from claims of discrimination or wrongdoing, there are steps you can take to get to the ultimate goal of […]

Learn important lessons from Lombardi’s eight-hour session

by Dan Oswald Over the weekend, I was watching a piece on legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi. The documentary chronicled Lombardi’s life growing up in Brooklyn through his storied years as a championship coach with the Packers. As a Packers fan, I’ve read biographies on Lombardi and other books that have discussed the […]

The Addams Family and Diversity

This year for Halloween, there was no trick-or-treating and no Halloween party. Instead, we opted for a movie night by campfire, complete with s’mores. We searched for a spooky (but not scary) movie appropriate for an 8-year-old. We ultimately settled on the animated version of The Addams Family. I knew we were in for laughs […]

Can You Demand FMLA Fitness-for Duty-Cert? Sure, BUT …

Many employers want a fitness for duty certification when employees return from FMLA leave, especially for those “certain employees.” You can require a certification, but not just for certain employees, and not without carefully following several procedural steps. First of all, the law says that as a condition of restoring an employee who has been […]

FMLA Certification: Getting Clarification and Authentication

What should an employer do when an FMLA certification form is received that is unclear? Perhaps it's filled out completely, but the handwriting is illegible in some places. Or perhaps it appears as though it may have been filled out by someone other than the person who signed it. What actions can be taken without […]