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When Employees Act Fishy

Tonight we revisited the episode “Heavy Competition,” which is rife with the kind of employee misconduct that keeps us lawyers busy. Last time we looked at this episode, we talked about trade-secret violations as well as Dwight Schrute’s personal liability for his bizarre antics, which included placing a dead fish in an air-conditioning vent in […]

Union blog’s sexist comments about manager constitutionally protected, not discriminatory, says court

by Nicole Singh Canadian tribunals have consistently ruled that communications by employees on social media can be viewed as an extension of the workplace. Improper communication on such platforms can therefore be considered a form of workplace discrimination under Canadian human rights laws. Discipline or termination can sometimes be appropriate. However, in the decision Taylor-Baptiste […]

How Do You Evaluate E-Learning When You’re Not Even There?

During training, you need to monitor the e-learning process to ensure employees are progressing on schedule. Once training has been completed, you need to evaluate the effectiveness of your e-learning programs. Because you are not present while training is taking place—as you are with traditional forms of training—monitoring and evaluating e-learning can be a bit […]

Investment Adviser Penalized $15M for Failing to Diversify

A novel approach to determining damages owed by an investment adviser to two defined contribution retirement plans in an ERISA fiduciary-duty breach was part of a decision including a $15 million reimbursement request handed down recently by a New York federal judge. Plan sponsors should note that the defendant, WPN Corp., was ordered by the […]

Noncompetes Often a Nonstarter

By Gulu Punia and Kyla Stott-Jess Signing a noncompete agreement can potentially provide some assurance that former employees will not start up or join the competing business across the street. In the absence of a noncompete agreement, employers often try to rely on their former employees’ fiduciary duties to combat competition. Unfortunately, Alberta’s Court of […]

Taxes: IRS Raises Mileage Reimbursement Rates for 2007

The IRS has increased the standard mileage rate commonly used to reimburse employees for business use of a car to 48.5 cents per mile, up from 44.5 cents in 2006. The new rate will apply to miles driven beginning January 1, 2007. Employers who use the IRS standard mileage rate to reimburse employees may deduct […]

HR Metrics Survey—What’s Being Measured These Days?

Big data is omnipresent in today’s business landscape. Metrics and analytics, along with the hypotheses drawn from them, are having a great impact on how decisions, big and small, are made—including in the field of human resources. So, what’s happening with HR metrics out there? What are your competitors measuring to gain an advantage? Help […]