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Tricks at work are no treat for employers

by Teresa Shulda Halloween is a lot of fun for both kids and adults. When else can we wear inappropriate costumes, gorge on unlimited candy, and create a Walking Dead display in our front yard? But when the spectral mist of Halloween creeps into the workplace, things can get really scary. Here are some real-life […]

Supreme Court Rules on Employer-Employee Arbitration Dispute

Today, in a 5-4 opinion, the U.S. Supreme Court outlined a new rule that employers must consider in disputes over the validity of arbitration agreements. More specifically, the Court had to determine whether under the Federal Arbitration Act, an arbitrator or a court has the authority to determine whether an arbitration agreement is enforceable, and […]

News Notes: Whats A Sexual Harassment Claim Worth?

A mediator charged with dividing up a $10 million settlement among 120 female sales representatives for drug maker Astra USA Inc. has come up with the novel approach of placing a dollar value on different types of sexual harassment. Fondling or requests for sex by high-level managers drew $250,000; frequent touching by low-level supervisors was […]

Massive Desire for Cultural Fit Among Workers

When companies look to hire new employees, there are some baseline credentials that typically must be met: education, certifications, years of experience, experience in certain specific areas, etc. By and large, these credentials can be ascertained from a résumé or online job application.

At-Will Employment Language: HR Form of the Week

In an earlier blog article we discussed a recent appeals court decision which upheld a vague employment agreement clause. Although the employer prevailed in that case despite the unclear at-will language, it’s important to make an at-will employment arrangement clear to employees to avoid lawsuits. This week we provide you with sample policy language that […]

Feds Will Audit—Shouldn’t You Do It First?

Yesterday’s Advisor covered Kurt Ronn’s tips for identifying potential discrimination in process. Today we’ll see his tips for evaluating execution and take a look at an audit program you can use to find such problems before the feds do. Even the best process, if poorly executed, will yield questionable results, says Ronn, president and founder […]

News Notes: Ex-Worker Who Took Family Leave Sues For Refusal To Rehire

A former employee who claims his employer refused to rehire him becausehe took too much family leave can sue under the federal Family and MedicalLeave Act, according to a federal appellate court. Mark Duckworth had takena 52-day medical leave from his job at Pratt & Whitney, Inc., becauseof a punctured lung. When he was subsequently […]

News Notes: Employer Cited For Ineffective Workplace Violence Program

Xerox Corp. has been cited by the Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division for not developing an effective workplace violence prevention program that might have averted a mass shooting by a copy machine repairman that left seven co-workers dead. The agency charged that Xerox failed to train managers to recognize and reduce potential hazards as […]