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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 […]

Court’s decision solidifies NLRB’s ‘quickie’ election rule

A June 10 ruling by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals dealt a blow to employers hoping to escape the constraints of the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) rule speeding up union representation elections. The Associated Builders and Contractors of Texas and the National Federation of Independent Business filed the challenge to what many […]

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 […]

Stereotypes Are Alive and Well

We are beyond the day when an employer could evaluate employees by assuming or insisting that they matched the stereotypes associated with their group. — U.S. Supreme Court Price Waterhouse Facts Brenna Lewis started working for Heartland Inns, a small hotel chain, in July 2005. She mainly worked as a night-shift auditor, and in the […]

Employers Tested by Detail Required in ACA Health Coverage Reporting

Information reporting of minimum essential coverage under the Affordable Care Act is like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, insurers and many employer plan sponsors must keep records about their coverage and lives covered for every month of 2015. Details include Social Security numbers (for self-insured plans) and […]

New Report Looks at ‘Interstate Job Piracy’

State and local governments spend billions of dollars annually on economic development subsidies given to companies for moving existing jobs from one state to another, according to a study released today by Good Jobs First, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research center based in Washington, D.C. The report is titled The Job-Creation Shell Game. Greg LeRoy, executive […]

Disability and Group Insurance Plans? How Do You Rate?

No one plans on becoming disabled. But accidents and illnesses happen, and they can confine workers to bed for weeks … or longer. A serious disability takes away more than workers’ earnings—it can take away their sense of control over their own lives. Do your employees understand the importance of ensuring that they receive a […]

Ignoring the Basics Can Lead to HR Failures

In yesterday’s CED, we offered tips for managing the basics of HR legal issues. Today, the rest of the tips and an introduction to a California-specific resource for your employee handbook policies. Once again, a tip of the CED hat to attorneys John K. Skousen and Christopher J. Boman, partners at the Irvine office of employment law […]

Surviving the Recession: How to Cope with Tough Times

All right, I’m officially over the recession. I’m tired of reading, writing, thinking, and talking about it. Most of all I’m tired of having to deal with it every day in our business. I long for the good ol’ days. For our industry — publishing — that was the go-go ’90s. But at this point […]

DOL’s Agenda Focuses on Safety and Wages

Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis has announced the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) regulatory agenda for 2010, saying, “Protecting wages and working conditions for workers is key to the mission of our department, and ensuring that workers have a voice on the job is also vital.” The agenda is expected to satisfy many union demands. […]