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Criticism in store for Obama’s choice for DOL

President Barack Obama’s choice of Thomas E. Perez for secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor is likely to face tough questions during the process of confirmation by the Senate. If confirmed, Perez will replace Hilda L. Solis, who stepped down as labor secretary in January after serving in the post four years. Foes of […]

News Notes: Court Tosses Out Class-Action Suit Against State Fund

Following a 113-day trial, a San Francisco judge threw out a $1.1 billion class-action lawsuit charging State Compensation Insurance Fund, the state’s largest workers’ comp insurer, with unfair claims reserving and business practices. The suit alleged that from 1989 to 1995, State Fund maintained an illegal claims reserving standard, overcharging its policyholders. The judge’s written […]

Christmas Eve: Are You Answering Your Blackberry?

The new world of social networking and electronic communications opens all sorts of questions about etiquette, behavior, and life style. In "Available All the Time: Etiquette for the Social Networking Age," Wharton  Professor Nancy Rothbard calls it a "double-edged sword." For example, she says, a Blackberry® can allow parents to attend their children’s soccer games […]

Short Takes: Reference Checks

We’re trying to set up our policy for doing reference checks on final applicants. Can you help us with some basic guidelines? What if the former employers won’t talk?  Job Descriptions in California: How To Tackle Tricky Drafting Hurdles Job descriptions can be your best friend or your worst enemy from both a practical and […]

Employment Law Tip: EEO-1 Deadline Nearing; Are You Ready?

If your company is required to file an annual EEO-1 Form with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), take note that the deadline is September 30, 2007. This year, employers must use the new and revamped version of the form (Standard Form 100, rev. 1/06). The EEO-1 report must be filed annually by employers with […]

There Are Headaches, There Are Migraines, and Then There Are FMLA Headaches

Although proposed changes to the FMLA may alleviate some of the pain, FMLA headaches will not go away anytime soon. Today’s expert shares some workplace-tested remedies. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) management isn’t such a headache if you work out your policies carefully, publicize them to employees, and enforce them consistently, says Beverly Kish, […]

News Bulletin: FMLA Opinion Withdrawn

The Ninth Circuit Court recently withdrew its decision in Gradilla v. Ruskin Mfd. that held leave taken to accompany a spouse to a funeral was not protected family leave. The opinion was withdrawn at the request of the parties, which means employers can no longer rely on the decision. Continue watching California Employer Advisor for […]

Meal Periods

This meal period deal is driving me nuts. The workers on our assembly line usually work 6-hour shifts. Most of the crew want to work through the meal break, and we’d like that too—more productivity. But we have a few who insist on their meal break. And we can’t run the assembly line without the […]

Sexual Harassment: FEHC Finally Approves Training Rules

The California Fair Employment and Housing Commission has finally approved regulations implementing A.B. 1825, the law requiring sexual harassment training for supervisors every two years. The final rules should be ready to go into effect in February, depending on how long the Office of Administrative Law takes to review them.