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OSHA Penalties for Personal Protective Equipment Violations Escalate

In these troubled economic times, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has hit upon a sure-fire way to increase government revenue without any extra work or change in procedures. If it wasn’t so ominous for employers, we might be tempted to applaud the agency’s ingenuity and audacity. Required federal and state workplace posters, including […]

loan

Legal and practical pitfalls of loaning money to employees

by Raanon Gal and Glianny Fagundo Many employers have been faced with a valued employee who is undergoing financial hardship asking for a pay advance or loan to help him get back on his feet. Employers are often tempted to give an employee a loan or pay advance because it seems like the right thing […]

Is Drug Testing Discriminatory?

Do you require mandatory drug testing as a condition of employment? Many employers do, but have you considered whether a mandatory drug testing policy might be discriminatory?

Ending the Employer-Employee Relationship-Resignation vs. Termination

Despite high-profile portrayals in the media and entertainment industry to the contrary, most managers don’t enjoy firing employees. Indeed, many go through great lengths to avoid firing staff, such as investing in performance improvement plans (PIPs) or looking for other roles within the company that better fit the employee’s strengths. Still, whether due to poor […]

Surprise Days Off

While most Americans looked forward to annual summer breaks as children, the best most can hope for as adults is a week or 2 off for a family vacation or the occasional long weekend around a company holiday. But what if one’s company spontaneously offered surprise paid days off work? An extra 3-day weekend here […]

Don’t lose sight of what’s really important

by Dan Oswald Sometimes we lose sight of what’s really important in life. We get wrapped up in our work and let everything else suffer. As we allow our work to take over our life, it might be our workout routine that gets forgotten or a hobby that fades away. And if you can handle […]

Leaders

Immediately Address and Correct Racial Slurs…or Else

Nearly every Montana employer takes discrimination seriously and strives to keep it out of the workplace. But sometimes even the best intentions aren’t enough. A recent case from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry’s (DOLI) Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) should serve as a stark reminder that the details are critical. If an employee […]

Texas ‘Guns at Work’ Law Goes into Effect September 1

The new Texas state law that allows employees to bring guns to work, so long as they are secured in a locked vehicle, goes into effect September 1. Senate Bill 321 was passed in the state legislature in May and was signed by Governor Rick Perry on June 17. The law allows employees who are […]