Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
By Allen Kato, Fenwick & West LLP Why should you conduct an exemption audit in California? Employee claims alleging they are misclassified as exempt from overtime (brought as individual claims or class-action lawsuits) are the lawsuit of the day. For example, in March 2012, a California court approved a $35 million settlement by Oracle involving […]
Managing intermittent leave can cause confusion and headaches, yet it is a required aspect of compliance with the FMLA. However, the proper use of medical certification is one of the ways to both manage the leave properly and reduce the risk of intermittent leave abuse. “Medical certification is a powerful tool to control and monitor […]
The material in today’s Advisor is adapted from BLR’s 10-Minute HR Trainer session, “Telephone Etiquette.” Don’t forget to train employees to follow proper etiquette when receiving phone calls. Here are several best practices for answering the telephone. Answer promptly if you are not relying on voicemail pickup. Greet the caller with a friendly tone, identifying […]
Managers often want to know why they need documentation to fire an “at-will” employee. Simple, says today’s expert. Without it, you can end up in court explaining why your managers are so stupid that they fire people for no reason. In theory, with at-will employees, either party can terminate the employment arrangement: At any time […]
With the U.S. unemployment rate at an all-time low and job openings at a 17-year high (with a reported 6.6 million openings as of June 2018), it’s hard to imagine that job growth has slowed and even stagnated in parts of the country. The fact is, rural areas and smaller cities are scrambling to find […]
The U.S. Postal Service will pay $4.5 million to settle claims that it failed to accommodate employees with hearing impairments. The court-approved agreement ends the decade-long class action dispute. The class action (Hubbard v. Donahoe, No. 03-1062 (RJL) (D.D.C. July 31, 2013)) stemmed from two related actions brought before the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. […]
by Jonathan R. Mook The following article answers some common questions about the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) recently promulgated guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and mental health conditions. Q Why should employers review the EEOC’s mental health guidance? A If they haven’t already dealt with the issue, many employers will be […]
You’ve found a job candidate who has some of the qualifications for the job. Should you take a chance and hire the person? Or should you keep looking?
By Kyle Emshwiller Half (51 percent) of workers reported that they swear in the office, according to a recent CareerBuilder survey. The majority of those (95 percent) said they do so in front of their coworkers, while 51 percent cuss in front of the boss. However, workers seem to clean up their language in front […]
Antonio Toro was preparing to move large bundles of steel at a flood control project. As he positioned his forklift, it tipped, pinning him. By the time emergency responders reached him, Toro was dead. Forklifts are designed to lift and move heavy loads. The forklifts themselves must be heavy to prevent them from falling […]