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Could Layoffs Equal a Class Action?

This should come as no shock, but people don’t like to get fired. And when they do get fired, they look for someone else to blame. Guess who? “You fired me because I’m X (fill in the blank with the name of a protected class).”

Workplace Violence Prevention Strategies

Workplace violence is a serious threat to American employers and employees. Although homicide in the workplace has steadily declined since 1994, it is still the fourth leading cause of workplace fatalities in the United States. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2006, more than 22,000 employees in private industry missed days […]

IRS Mileage Deduction Increase Finally Here … But Employers Working to Cut Commuting Costs, Too

The IRS is helping businesses cut their transportation costs but, even better, businesses are helping employees cut their costs as well. Shout hallelujah! It’s finally here. The annual IRS business mileage cost adjustment, which takes effect every January 1. This year, it’s an unusually large change. Your company can now deduct 4 cents a mile […]

Blogs and Why You Should Care

McCarthy Tetrault A “blog,” short for web log, is akin to an online diary or an electronic discussion board that often includes a mix of commentary and opinions from visitors to the website. More and more employers are dealing with employees who may be blogging about their work. Here are some questions you should consider. […]

Employee Leaves Of Absence: Law Permitting 40 Hours Leave To Attend Children’s School Activities Revised

Governor Wilson recently approved a measure changing the little-known but important statute that allows employees to take unpaid time off to participate in their children’s school activities. The law continues to apply to private, state and municipal em- ployers who have 25 or more employees working in the same location. Our HR Management & Compliance […]

Records Retention When Litigation Looms

Yesterday, we looked at some of the elements of a strong record retention policy. Today, a few more tips from attorney Ronald J. Cooke, a partner in the Los Angeles office of Nossaman LLP, as well as an introduction to a new resource that will streamline your state and federal recordkeeping burden.

Passed over for being white, woman gets $2.1 million

According to the Kansas City Star, a local jury has awarded more than $2.1 million to Melissa Howard, who said she was passed over for a Kansas City judgeship because she was white. A county assistant prosecutor, she was one of three white women who were finalists for the position but claims that the Kansas […]

News Notes: OSHA Issues Reminder that Teens Can’t Drive Forklifts

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a new bulletin reminding employers that most workers under age 18 are prohibited from operating forklifts for nonagricultural operations. Plus, says OSHA, workers over 18 must be properly trained and certified before driving forklifts in the workplace. Note that Cal-OSHA also prohibits teens from driving […]

How To Craft Airtight Arbitration Agreements

Yesterday, we looked at a recent California court case that highlighted the various factors you need to think about when you draft your arbitration agreements—as well as how you present them to employees. Today, some tips for success.