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Expert Assessment: ‘HR Deserves a $5,000 Bonus’

In yesterday’s Advisor, Hunter Lott of Please Sue Me fame, offered his lawsuit avoidance tips. Today, his advice on legal exposure in 2011, plus an introduction to the new 24/7 leadership training system. What percent of charges did the EEOC drop last year? Lott asks. More than 64 percent. “That’s us!” Lott says. That’s HR […]

Sexual Harassment: McDonald’s Teen Employees Settle Lawsuit

GLC Restaurants, Inc., which operates McDonald’s restaurants in Arizona and California, has agreed to pay $550,000 to eight female teenage workers who were sexually harassed by a middle-aged male supervisor. The lawsuit, filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of the young workers, charged that the supervisor was a repeat offender who […]

Harassment: Court Says Employer Doesn’t Take Fall When Client Harasses Worker, But Caution Still Required

Suppose a nightclub waitress complains to her employer that male customers often grope her. Her employer ignores her reports, turning a blind eye to the customers’ actions. Can the waitress sue the employer for workplace harassment? A California Court of Appeal recently faced this issue and—in a controversial opinion that may not hold up—has decided […]

Health Benefits: A Look at Recent HIPAA Developments

If you have an employer-sponsored health plan, it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest information about the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act, or HIPAA—which imposes requirements regarding the security of medical information, nondiscrimination in health plans, and much more. We’ll take a look at HIPAA developments that are new for 2007.

You Don’t Have to Be Blind to See

In his blog The Oswald Letter, M. Lee Smith Publishers’ President Dan Oswald shares a story from YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BLIND TO SEE by Jim Stovall about a woman determined to find her kidnapped baby. Ever the businessman, Oswald draws a connection between this mother who triumphs over adverse conditions that paralyze the […]

News Notes: Ruling Okays Taco Bell Managers’ Class Action Lawsuit Over Wage And Hour Violations

A trial court has given the go-ahead to a class action overtime lawsuit by 2,300 California Taco Bell managers and assistant managers. The workers allege that they were misclassified as exempt employees and wrongfully denied overtime pay by the restaurant chain. They claim that they spent more than half of their working time performing nonmanagerial […]

Retaliation Claims: Court Says Employers Can Now Be Sued For Taking Action That Negatively Affects Co-Workers As Well As Complaining Employees

It’s not news to employers that it is illegal to retaliate against an employee who complains about discrimination or harassment. However, in a new decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has expanded the range of what could be considered retaliatory. Employers can now be held liable not only for actions aimed at the complaining […]

Bulletin Item: PWBA Undergoes Name Change

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration has changed its name to the Employee Benefits Security Administration, or EBSA. The EBSA will assume the former PWBA’s responsibilities of administering private-sector retirement, health, and other employer-based benefit programs. Visit the EBSA’s website.

Is Coaching the New Management?

Should you be coaching instead of managing and supervising? We’ll lay out some coaching basics and tell you about a new January 22 audio conference on successful coaching skills. Coaching is frequent, spontaneous, one-on-one training. Many experts think it is a very effective tool for performance, motivation, and participation. As a performance tool, coaching provides […]