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No Escape From the Long Arm of DOL

Even state agencies are not immune from the U.S. Department of Labor’s ongoing aggressive enforcement actions, as reflected in a recent lawsuit filed against the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services’ Child Protective Services Division (CPS). The lawsuit is seeking more than $1 million for back overtime pay that DOL claims is owed 800 […]

News Notes: Employers Winning More ADA Lawsuits

Employers have won a whopping 92% of disability discrimination cases that have gone to trial, according to a new American Bar Association study. Despite the impressive statistics, the Americans with Disabilities Act poses continuing risks for employers. The study did not take into account cases that settled before trial and the high cost of defending […]

No Issue Goes Unresolved …

By Dan Moran Just My E-pinion People are, I think by design, procrastinators. Why do today what you can do tomorrow? In part I think this has lead to a practice by managers of people — and some HR professionals as well: Let it be, the issue will go away… I am amazed how often […]

DOL: New Overtime Rules Expected This Spring

The U.S. Department of Labor will likely propose changes to its overtime regulations this spring, Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez told lawmakers March 18. President Obama last March instructed DOL to simplify its rules and raise its salary threshold defining which workers are exempt from overtime. To be considered exempt from the minimum wage […]

Disciplining Employees: Sprewell Defamation Claims Are Back In Play; 3 Ways For Employers To Avoid Backlash From Firings

When you fire an employee for misconduct, even if it’s for an egregious incident that occurred in public, you still need to be careful who you talk to about it both inside and outside your company. The case of former Golden State Warriors basketball player Latrell Sprewell illustrates how an employer whose termination of an […]

EEOC Finally Defines ‘Race’ and ‘Color’ in Connection With Discrimination Suits

Ever since 1964, discrimination based on race or color has been illegal. EEOC has finally told us what those terms mean, says HR Manager’s Legal Reporter. The recent Supreme Court ruling that greatly expanded the definition of retaliation (Daily Advisor, 9/25/06), showed how important it is for HR people to keep track of happenings in […]

New I-9 Form Required Starting April 3

All employers are required to verify the employment eligibility of their employees by completing a federal Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 for each worker. Employers can use self-audits to verify that the employment eligibility documentation kept on file for their employees is accurate. Recent changes Effective April 3, 2009, the list of documents acceptable to […]

Supreme Court Narrows Scope of ‘Supervisor’ Status in Title VII Discrimination Claims

The term “supervisor” is not to be taken lightly when determining the scope of employer liability in employment discrimination claims, according to the U.S. Supreme Court. On June 24, the court held in a 5-4 decision that an employee is a “supervisor” under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act only if he or she […]

5 Common Missteps When Achieving an Optimistic Workplace

In his book The Optimistic Workplace: Creating an Environment that Energizes Everyone, management and leadership consultant Shawn Murphy tackles the challenge and argues that our best work is the product of a positive environment. “How it feels to work within an organization is a critical workforce development issue. We need more leaders who are willing […]

Pay-for-Performance—Is Management Willing?

Pay-for-Performance is the hot new approach to compensation, says expert Brooke Green; however, you shouldn’t attempt it if management isn’t willing to do its job in performance evaluation. Green, who is a principal at Hay Group, offered her tips at a recent webinar sponsored by HRHero/BLR. In yesterday’s Advisor, she suggested that HR managers ask […]