Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Karen McAndrew As of March 15, 2011, boa constrictors, ferrets, wildebeests, and rabbits are no longer considered “service animals” under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), so assuming the Attorney General’s Office of your state concurs, you will not have to let those animals dine in your restaurant or hang out in a cubicle […]
So-called stock drop cases, in which defined contribution plan participants sue employer plan sponsors for breach of fiduciary duty when the market value of company stock or other equity options in 401(k) investment menus declines severely, have become common. But for defined benefit sponsors, this threat is less onerous. A ruling the U.S. District Court […]
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court released its decision in Ricci v. DeStefano, the high-profile discrimination case involving firefighters employed by the city of New Haven, Connecticut. In a 5-4 decision, the Court reversed the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in favor of New Haven. Essentially, the Supreme Court said the city improperly threw […]
New and expanding companies in Louisiana may be eligible for free, customized training through Louisiana Economic Development’s (LED) award-winning workforce development program. LED FastStart offers training development and delivery, as well as employee recruitment and screening, at no cost to Louisiana companies that are creating at least 15 new manufacturing jobs or 50 new service-related […]
Company culture refers to the “personality” of a company. It is made up of a number of factors, including the company’s values and mission, the physical work environment, and the traits, personalities, and engagement levels of the individual employees who work there. Unfortunately, company culture probably gets less attention than it deserves for a couple of […]
Litigation Value: Squiggle Quips = $3.95 per package; delicious dinner without your wallet = an embarrassing (and defamatory) mugshot on the restaurant wall; finding out Angela publicly joked about urinating on Gabe = priceless. Last night provided us with an evening of reruns, but I love The Office and have been known to watch episodes […]
The Equal Pay Act (EPA) makes it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women who perform substantially equal work. It allows for differences in pay, but sex cannot be a factor.
For several years, the California Supreme Court has wrestled with the issue of when the employee of an independent contractor can sue the company that hired the contractor for on-the-job injuries rather than just collect workers’ compensation benefits. Now the high court has issued two new opinions further clarifying when you can be sued for […]
by Mike Maslanka The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has been revised, and the regulations went into effect in January 2009. Time for a checkup of your company’s policies. Employers need to ask themselves the following questions: HR Guide to Employment Law: A practical compliance reference manual covering 14 topics, including hiring 1. Have […]
Several types of overtime violations hit the headlines again and again. Here are 5 of the most common: