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New Hawaii Law Protects Domestic, Sexual Violence Victims from Discrimination

By David Banks Hawaii’s Act 206, which provides employment protections for victims of domestic and sexual violence, becomes effective January 1, 2012. Hawaii is one of only five states to enact a law protecting victims of domestic and sexual violence. Among other things, the Act: prohibits discrimination on the basis of domestic or sexual violence […]

The case for cause with a single act of employee misconduct

by Keri Bennett The Supreme Court of Canada tells Canadian employers that they must strike a balance between the severity of the misconduct and the sanction imposed when deciding whether to terminate employment for cause. So what happens when the misconduct is a single act? Can that justify termination for cause? According to the British […]

“Silicon Valley”: Start me up

Mike Judge has done it again. A few months ago, I wrote about one of my favorite workplace flicks, Office Space, and the dangers of pushing off uncomfortable employment issues (specifically Milt Waddams, a mumbly arsonist-to-be). Now I’m hooked on Mike Judge’s latest project, HBO’s Silicon Valley.  Silicon Valley chronicles the ups and downs of […]

new hire

How to Measure Onboarding Effectiveness

In a previous post, we discussed the importance of onboarding efforts for setting the stage for an employee’s successful career with an organization, as well as aiding in employee retention. To that end, we made the case for finding ways to measure the effectiveness of your employee onboarding programs.

Heterosexual PR Contractor May Have Suffered Antigay Discrimination

By Terence H. McGuire Recently, a federal district court in New York ruled that a worker retained to perform public relations and other promotional services for a clothing manufacturer could proceed to trial on claims under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) and the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) that he […]

New law removes ‘alien’ from California Labor Code

by Elizabeth J. Boca A California law taking effect on January 1 removes the word “alien” from the state’s Labor Code. The new law deletes two sections of the Labor Code as a way of modernizing and removing negative connotations in the law. In 1937, the California Legislature enacted various provisions regarding the employment of […]

Is There an Expectation of Privacy When Employees E-mail and Text at Work?

As the year comes to a close, employers should be taking a close look at their technology policies. Two cases help clarify the “expectation of privacy” issue, says attorney Stephen R. Woods. Woods is a shareholder in the Greenville, South Carolina office of law firm Ogletree Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC. His remarks came […]

The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t

Employment law attorney Mark I. Schickman reviews the book The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t by Robert Sutton. Review examines book’s assertion that there should be a rule against workplace bullying. Robert Sutton is a professor at the Stanford School of Engineering and the founder and codirector of […]

Workplace Security: You Can Take Preventive Action Against Unstable Employees Who Pose A Workplace Threat

Managing employees with mental disabilities can be challenging—especially when the workers pose a threat to others’ safety. If you take preemptive action, you can get sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but if you don’t, you risk the tragic consequences of a violent incident. Two recent cases provide guidance on how to handle potentially […]