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Bulletin Item: Another Retailer Sued for Allegedly Requiring Clothing Purchases

Chico’s FAS is defending itself against a lawsuit brought by a former employee who claims she was required to purchase Chico clothing while working for the retailer. Chico’s says it merely encourages employees to wear its clothing, providing them with discounts on their purchases. This is just the latest in a string of similar lawsuits […]

Coming ALIVE: A Treatment Plan for Employee Engagement

By Ruth Ross Today’s workplaces are drowning in a sea of disengagement. It’s easier to find a needle in a haystack then to find an employee who is highly engaged and passionate about their work. You may not even be aware of just how bad the situation is because disengagement is mostly a silent disease.

Mental Health Parity Measure Part of Bailout Package

A mental health parity measure has been passed in Congress as part of the $700 billion financial rescue package. The measure requires covered employers that provide health plans to cover mental illness and substance abuse on the same basis as physical conditions. President George W. Bush signed the financial package on Friday, October 3. The […]

Employment Law Tip: Direct Deposit—Don’t Force It

Direct payroll deposit can be a real timesaver for employers and employees alike. But did you know that California law prohibits employers from requiring employees to use direct deposit for their paychecks? Specifically, Labor Code Section 213 makes it clear that employers can use direct deposit, but only when the employee voluntarily authorizes it. Additional […]

High Court Defines ‘Charge’ in Age Discrimination

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled on the definition of a “charge” of age discrimination under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). Under the ADEA, an employee is required to file a “charge” with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) before the dispute is escalated to court. But the term “charge” is not […]

Whistleblowing: Worker Gets $37 Million For Turning In Employer

A recent case dramatically illustrates the financial incentive employees have to blow the whistle on their employer. A federal judge has awarded $24 million to Robert Merena, a former SmithKline Beecham billing analyst who charged that the company defrauded the government by billing for unauthorized and unnecessary lab tests under Medicare and other government programs. […]

Vested Retiree Health Benefits Can Face ‘Reasonable’ Reductions, 6th Cir.

Retirees’ right to vested health benefits for life did not preclude a manufacturer of agricultural and construction equipment from reducing or restricting those benefits, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently held in a split decision. In doing so, the circuit rejected the retirees’ argument that the company could not change the “scope” of […]