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Age Discrimination: New Case Examines Whether You Can Deny Older Workers Educational Assistance Benefits; Preventive Measures To Take

Suppose an employee in their 50s or 60s wants to take advantage of your employee educational assistance program. You may be reluctant to shell out thousands of dollars to educate a worker who’s close to retirement. One employer that faced this situation recently got slapped with an age discrimination lawsuit when an older worker’s request […]

Comment Period on Child Labor Regulations

By Judith E. Kramer Fortney & Scott, LLC Update: November 1, 2011: The U.S. Department of Labor has extended the comment period until December 1, 2011. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is accepting comments through November 1 on revisions to its proposed regulations aimed at strengthening safety requirements for young workers employed in agriculture […]

News Notes: DOT Now Enforcing Rule On HAZMAT Placards

The Department of Transportation has begun enforcing a rule that prohibits motor carriers from placing extraneous information on placards or in placard holders reserved for hazardous materials information. The measure, which took effect Oct. 1, 2001, bans signs, advertisements and slogans such as “Drive Safely” that reduce the ability of emergency responders to immediately recognize […]

E-Alert Item: DOL Finds Sun Microsystems Violated H-1B Posting Requirements

The federal Department of Labor has found that Sun Microsystems in Santa Clara failed to comply with a rule requiring posting notices regarding hiring workers under the H-1B visa program. The DOL has now ordered Sun to display the notices, but hasn’t assessed any penalties or fines because it found that the posting violations weren’t […]

Short Takes: Pregnancy Leave

Does pregnancy leave have to be paid? Our HR Management & Compliance Report: How To Comply with California and Federal Leave Laws, covers everything you need to know to stay in compliance with both state and federal law in one of the trickiest areas of compliance for even the most experienced HR professional. Learn the […]

Technology: Can We Prevent Our Employees from Putting Up a Company Website Just for Employees?

Several of our employees have set up a website that is for information relating to our organization. They post all kinds of materials there, including ratings of bosses and departments, complaints, blog-like rants, and so on. And then, as well, they have a calendar, announcements, birthdays, and stuff like that. It’s becoming very popular with […]

Bulletin: New law expands whistleblower protection for health care workers

Governor Schwarzenegger recently signed A.B. 632, which bars a health care facility from discriminating or retaliating against patients, employees, facility medical staff, or other health care workers for filing a complaint or grievance, or initiating or participating in an investigation into the facility. Employees who are discriminated against in violation of the law will be […]

Short Takes: Terminations

When an employee recently resigned from our company, giving two weeks’ notice, his manager told him to pack up and leave immediately and he wouldn’t be paid beyond that day. Effectively, he fired the employee as of that day. This didn’t sit right with me, but is it illegal?

News Notes: Big Race Bias Settlement For Route Drivers

McKesson Water Products Co., a drinking water processing and delivery company, and Groupe Danone (which recently acquired McKesson) will pay $1.2 million to settle a race bias class action lawsuit brought by the EEOC. The lawsuit charged that African-American drivers were assigned to water delivery routes in low-income communities, which were less profitable than routes […]