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California employers continue to be hit by revelations from whistleblowing workers. The Southern California-based Northrop Grumman Corp. has agreed to pay $1.4 million to settle a lawsuit by a former employee who accused the defense contractor of overcharging the Air Force for B-2 bomber instruction and repair manuals. The worker who complained to the government […]
By Mark I. Schickman Imagine a horrible accusation made against one of your managers — maybe harassment, maybe violence, maybe theft, maybe drugs. This is an outspoken employee who has sued you before — and won — and with whom you have to be careful. But under heavy pressure from top executives, you immediately fire […]
As many employers who’ve been sued know, even if you winan employee lawsuit, you still lose because the cost of defense is so high. For example, in a recent case Mark Gordon, a Chico police officer, sued the city of Chico for sexual orientation discrimination. After the case resulted in a mistrial, Gordon dropped his […]
What’s one of the killer problems with defending wrongful termination lawsuits? When “the story” about why the person was fired is inconsistent. That is, when HR, the manager, and the documentation don’t agree. For example, here’s what happens: The employee’s performance is poor enough that he or she has to be fired. But the supervisor […]
Among the add-ons to the $700 billion financial rescue package that Congress recently passed was a measure that will affect many employers whose health plans offer mental health benefits. The Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 builds on and closes employer-friendly loopholes in the limited mental health parity measure […]
A new report from PayScale, “CEO Salaries: How Much Do CEOs Make Compared to Their Employees?” examines CEO-to-worker pay ratios in light of the recent adoption of a final rule, mandated by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd Frank Act), that requires a public company to disclose the ratio of its […]
In response to the published results of a recent survey of low-wage workers in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced that the Department of Labor (DOL) will be putting at least 250 more wage and hour inspectors on the ground to audit employer compensation practices. In other words, […]
Employers with high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) that make it possible for employees to open health savings accounts (HSAs) have plenty of lead time to prepare for 2013. The IRS on April 27 issued Revenue Procedure (Rev. Proc.) 2012-26, which contains the HSA and HDHP limits for calendar year 2013. The HSA annual limits and the […]
Before each term, the U.S. Supreme Court identifies the cases it will hear in that term. While the Court has identified only three cases directly involving claims under various federal labor and employment statutes, in an additional four cases, the Court’s decisions are likely to have a significant effect on the rights and practices of […]
How many floating holidays (including Christmas week) are observed besides those already indicated above? (Exclude “personal days”) None 1 day 2 days 3 days 4+ days Exempt Employees 561 (65%) 124 (14.4%) 89 (10.3%) 33 (3.8%) 45 (5.2%) Nonexempt Empoyees 556 (64.4%) 123 (14.3%) 86 (10%) 30 (3.5%) 48 (5.6%) In chart form: Previous Next