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News Notes: Employers’ Snooping Impacts Internet Privacy

A recent survey by the American Management Association shows that employers are stepping up their monitoring of employees’ Internet use, with 61% of employers reporting that they monitor Web surfing and 46% stating they keep tabs on e-mail. And some employers are going even further when it comes to trying to track down the identity […]

Bulletin Item: More Legislation of Interest to Employers Awaiting the Governor’s Approval

In addition to the workers’ compensation bill discussed in this Bulletin, there are a number of other bills on Gov. Davis’s desk that could impact your employment practices. Here’s a quick summary of what they are: AB 1715 invalidates arbitration agreements affecting employment claims under the Fair Employment and Housing Act that are made a […]

Hot List: New York Times Bestselling Hardcover Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling hardcover business books as ranked by the New York Times on September 21. 1. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. hy some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent — from the author of Blink: The Power […]

Employers Seeking Savings Can’t Afford Age Claims

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently heard testimony on the particular effects the economic downturn has had on older workers, addressing the unfortunate possibility that the recession may be serving as a catalyst for some employers to engage in age discrimination. Recession Hits Older Workers During a mid-November EEOC meeting, several experts reported on […]

Reduction In Force: High Tech Firm Sued For Laying Off Workers Without Adequate Notice

A recent development serves as an alert for all employers contemplating a large-scale lay-off without prior notice. The Connecticut Attorney General is suing Walker Digital, owned by Priceline founder Jay Walker, charging that the company violated the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act (WARN) when it let 106 workers go without adequate notice in November. […]

Reasonable Accommodation: Ninth Circuit Says Employee “Regarded As” Disabled Not Entitled to Accommodation; Practical Impact

Suppose an employee’s medical condition prevents them from performing their job. Instead of exploring whether a reasonable accommodation is available, you terminate the employee. And, not surprisingly, you wind up with a disability-bias lawsuit on your hands. But what if it turns out the employee wasn’t disabled in the first place? Can you still be […]

Supreme Court Denies Wal-Mart Class-Action

By Megan E. Snyder The U.S. Supreme Court recently handed down a decision in Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes, a landmark case involving 1.5 million female current and former Wal-Mart employees who attempted to challenge the retail giant’s employment practices. Essentially, the women complained that local stores have too much discretion in making decisions about […]

Forge the Crucial Link in the Antidiscrimination Compliance Chain

Discrimination is a wider issue than most workers realize. Here’s a program that gives them a panoramic view of the problem, so you get wider protection against its consequences. A recent Daily Advisor article discussed the legal aspects of discrimination and how to avoid a lawsuit. The law in this case is pretty clear for […]

Bulletin: Final Rule Addressing Stock Diversification Notice Penalty Issued

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration has published a final rule clarifying the penalty that may be imposed on a plan administrator for failing to provide a written notice to participants and beneficiaries of their rights to diversify the portions of plan accounts that are invested in the employer’s publicly traded securities. […]