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Supreme Court Rules Oral FLSA Complaints Are OK

Today, in a 6-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) antiretaliation provision protects not just written complaints but also oral ones. The Court noted in its opinion that it heard the case because of a conflict in the circuit courts over whether oral complaints were protected. In Kasten […]

Arbitrator upholds employer’s dismissal of grievor who exaggerated her medical symptoms

by Louise Béchamp Exaggerating one’s medical symptoms in order to avoid a return to work can be cause for dismissal. This is a lesson that a grievor learned the hard way following the finding of a Quebec arbitrator in Fédération des paramédics et des employées et employés des services préhospitaliers du Québec (FPESPQ) and Services […]

Emergencies: Can’t Predict, Must Prepare

Recent tragic disasters have certainly made it clear that no company, no matter how large or small and no matter the location, is safe from unexpected disaster. Terrorism, fire, tsunami, hurricane, or flood—the list seems endless, and no one is invulnerable. Some disasters are predictable. For example, if you have a facility in a flood-prone […]

Retirement Plans: You Could Be Sued If You Don’t Tell Workers About Changes You’re Considering But Haven’t Yet Adopted

When changing retirement plans, employers sometimes don’t notify employees until all the details are in place. But a new case makes it clear that if you don’t let workers in on your plans earlier, you could face an expensive lawsuit. Employer Enhances Early Retirement Benefits In a workforce reduction, IBM offered workers two early retirement […]

Smart Tips for Investigations

Yesterday, we looked at 5 tips for conducting an effective sexual harassment investigation. Today, 4 more — plus an introduction to an in-depth investigations webinar next week, specifically for California employers. [Click here for yesterday’s tips] 6. Communicate your findings to both the employee and the alleged harasser and provide them with the opportunity to […]

Ground Rules for Workplace Friendships

By Dominique Jones, VP of Human Resources, Halogen Software Our social interactions affect our physical and emotional health, and even have an impact on workplace productivity. Research conducted by Gallup found that those with a “best friend,” at work, are seven times more likely to be engaged in their jobs with a subsequent positive impact […]

What Employers Should Expect from a Ramped-Up EEOC

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is trying to buck a trend. While government budget cuts have become the norm, the EEOC is requesting for fiscal year 2012 an $18 million increase from 2011. The agency says it needs more money to restore enforcement and legal staff positions, modernize technology, and expand training, among other […]

Legal Technicalities That Can Sidetrack Your Wellness Program

Everyone’s concerned about healthcare costs, and that means most are offering wellness programs. But rather than offering “informational” wellness programs, more organizations want to offer mandatory programs that demand results. It’s legal to do so, but … For the money you spend on it, wouldn’t you want a wellness program that goes beyond information and […]

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Your Company's Image is Everything

I’ll never forget my first job interview. Hearing about how great this company was to work for made me want that job so much more. When I arrived, I had to wait a long time before meeting with the interviewer. I wasn’t given any information about the delay, wasn’t offered anything to drink, and wasn’t […]