Churches May Be Particularly Hard-Hit by Overtime Rules
By Kate McGovern Tornone, Editor When new overtime regulations for the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) take effect December 1, churches may be especially burdened by the requirements.
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Ruling Deflates EEOC Guidance on Hiring Bans Based on Criminal Record
A ruling from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas—has handed the state of Texas a win in its fight against Obama-era guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) related to the use of criminal record checks in hiring.
House’s Passage of FAIR Act Signals End of Mandatory Arbitration of Workplace Disputes
For decades, American employers have relied on judicial precedent and the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) to enforce predispute mandatory arbitration agreements, which are signed before any known conflict arises between the employer and the employee (typically at the beginning of the employment relationship) requiring them to arbitrate any future employment disputes. They often contain provisions […]
Deaf Lifeguard Was Entitled to Accommodations, Says 6th Circuit
A reasonable jury could conclude that an employer violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it failed to hire a deaf lifeguard, said the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, overturning a lower court’s decision. The case, Keith v. County of Oakland (2013 WL 115647, No. 11–2276 (6th Cir. Jan. 10, 2013)) involved Nicholas Keith, […]
10th Circuit: Was Unauthorized Absence Cause for Termination?
The U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming—recently ruled in favor of Dillon Companies, Inc., a Kansas corporation that does business as King Soopers, in a lawsuit filed by a former grocery store employee who claimed he suffered a hostile work environment and was terminated because of […]
OSHA tips: heat exposure
by John E. Hall With much of the country in line for high temperatures this summer, employers should be mindful of employees’ exposure to heat hazards on the job. Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has no heat standard, the agency has become increasingly willing to cite employers for employees’ heat exposure under […]
Just What the Doctor Ordered—Love Boat Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted to help employees take leave for their own serious health conditions or to care for a close family member with a serious health condition. Although the intent of the law is good, abuse of FMLA does occur—and sometimes in some unique ways. Consider the case of […]
5 Ways to Protect Trade Secrets During, After Pandemic
As we hopefully head toward widespread COVID-19 vaccinations and back to some sort of new normal, employers should remember business information is often valuable because it’s secret, and it’s secret and protectable only when you use reasonable efforts to preserve its confidentiality. Almost every business relies on trade secrets that, if properly preserved, can be […]
Best Bosses: Where Do You Fall on the List?
A recent study by OfficeTeam sought to understand which workers are happiest or unhappiest with their bosses by region. The research revealed that over 80% of workers are satisfied with their managers. The highest rating locations were Indianapolis, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Miami. The worst were Boston, Phoenix, Washington D.C., Cincinnati, and […]
You Can Save More on Prescription Drugs
In the last few years, the market has seen a shift toward the use of generic drugs. Your prescription drug plan probably encourages it, and so does the local drug store; you can get a 30-day supply of many generic drugs for just $4 at several of the big name pharmacies. Most benefits professionals can […]