Most Popular

Harvard Law Grad Reflects on Employers’ Prospects If Kagan on Court

by Joanna R. Vilos President Barack Obama today nominated Elena Kagan to replace Justice John Paul Stevens on the U.S. Supreme Court. Stevens has a reputation for making employee-friendly decisions in cases that have reached the high court, but most employers don’t have much familiarity with Kagan or her views on employment-related issues. So how […]

New FCRA forms for background checks

by Kara E. Shea Do you use a third-party service to conduct background checks on job applicants or employees? If so, then you should take note of the new forms you are required to use for that purpose, effective January 1. The “new” forms originally were issued last year but had to be revised because […]

Why Workers’ Comp Claim Forms Must Be Provided Promptly

A new case underscores the need for employers to bone up on the rules regarding when injured workers must be provided with a workers’ comp claim form. In the case, a California appeals court rejected an argument that David Carls, a sign painter for the Claremont Colleges in Southern California, should be denied workers’ compensation […]

Should You Require Preemployment Knowledge-Based Tests?

Research indicates that 85% of job applicants lie on their résumés and job applications because employer application tracking systems expect exact matches from their applicant pools. So, applicants are getting smarter and tweaking their résumés to make it through these technological hurdles and to the first round of interviews.

You Need to Fire More Employees!

By Kyle EasthamJust My E-pinion Given a choice of using the carrot or the stick in their organizations, many guest columnists favor the carrot. Today’s says we need more stick … or, since he’s known as “the Black Belt Speaker,” perhaps more kick. Canned. Fired. Terminated. Bounced. Let go. Drummed out. Whatever term you use, […]

Workplace Lessons from the Campaign Trail

by Margaret DiBianca Politics isn’t a career for the thin-skinned. “Getting the goods” on one’s opponent often seems like a strategic tactic. Candidates who engage in that “strategy” look for harmful information, and then, when the time is right, maybe at a rally or mid-debate, the goods are slung like mud in the general direction […]

Chicago teachers striking over evaluation system, recall pool

by Brian J. Kurtz It is Thursday, day four of the Chicago Teachers Union’s strike against the Chicago public school system. All over the city, many of the 30,000 union-represented teachers and counselors are wearing red T-shirts and rallying with picket signs, banners, and noisemakers in front of city schools and government offices. The public […]

Insuring long-term disability insurance

by Richard E. Johnston In Canada, benefit plans are subject to legislation related to income tax, human rights, and employment standards. However, there is little specific regulation of benefit plans other than pension plans. A key exception is the provision of long-term disability benefits that are not funded under an insurance contract—at least for federally […]

Worker’s ADA Claim Fails Because Employer Treated Him ‘Reasonably’

A recent appeals court opinion illustrates that an employer that acts “reasonably” often will be in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that an employer had fulfilled its duties under the ADA by providing an effective accommodation to an employee with a disability, even though it […]