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Hot List: Bestselling “Business Life” books on Amazon.com

Amazon.com updates its list of the bestselling books every hour. Here is a snapshot of what is hot right now, this Monday morning, September 13, in the “Business Life” section of the “Business and Investing” category. 1. Winners Never Cheat: Even in Difficult Times, New and Expanded Edition by Jon M. Huntsman and Glenn Beck. […]

Must-Know Facts about Employment Contracts in Canada

McCarthy Tetrault Q. When does an employer have an employment contract with its employees? A. Every employer in Canada has an employment contract, whether written or unwritten, with each of its nonunion employees. Sometimes, only some of the terms are in writing. When necessary, courts will imply reasonable terms in the absence of any express […]

Most Retirees Leave Ex-employer’s Plan within 5 Years

The overwhelming majority of defined contribution plan participants at retirement age roll their retirement savings over from their employer’s plan to an individual retirement account within five years of leaving the company, according to new research by Vanguard. But most refrain from taking distributions for years afterward. This common decision has implications for the “to […]

Family and Medical Leave: Bizarre Behavior May Give Employer Notice of Need for Leave; Overview of Notice Requirements

One compliance gray area for employers under the family and medical leave laws concerns the notice employees must provide when they need to take leave. Of course, the easiest situation is when an employee fills out a leave request form and gives you a medical certification supporting the need for leave. But as a recent […]

Sexual Harassment Policy: Policy Against Discrimination, Harassment, And Retaliation

Updated Jan. 2004 The [insert company name] (“Company”) believes in respecting the dignity of every employee and expects every employee to show respect for all of our colleagues, clients, customers, and vendors. Respectful, professional conduct furthers the Company’s mission, promotes productivity, minimizes disputes and enhances its reputation. Accordingly, this policy forbids any unwelcome conduct in […]

Employee Handbooks: Are They Really Necessary?

Even though it isn’t a California or federal law requirement, many employers have an employee handbook or at least a few written company policies. Exactly where do those policies come from? The answer to that question is easy―the HR department. But where does HR get the policies that govern the company? The answer to that […]

Sexual Harassment Backlash: Big Verdict For Executive Fired Over Harassment Charge

Lawrence Moreau was chief financial officer for Los Angeles-based Direct Express, which was later acquired by Paystation America. Less than three months after starting work, Moreau was fired for allegedly touching two female employees inappropriately. He sued, claiming the charge was unfounded and a company pretext to break his three-year employment contract. Now a Los […]

Exit Interviews: Do Employers Listen to Employee Feedback?

A recent survey of 150 executives shows that most employers—76 percent—are acting on feedback given by departing employees during exit interviews. The survey was conducted for staffing service OfficeTeam by an independent research firm. When asked how often they acted on information gathered during exit interviews with departing employees, 19 percent of executives polled said […]

Employers Can Restrict Union Use of Company E-mail

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled that employers can prohibit employees from using company e-mail to send union-related messages while allowing some personal use of e-mail. In a 3-2 decision dated December 16 but released December 21, the NLRB majority ruled that the e-mail policy of Eugene, Oregon, newspaper The Register-Guard wasn’t a […]