Most Popular

Are Your Workplace Policies Prepared for Generative AI?

As generative artificial intelligence (GAI) technology, such as ChatGPT, finds new and greater uses in the workplace, employers must consider the myriad of legal and other issues that come with it. For good reason, employers increasingly are implementing policies to mitigate potential risks and ensure safe and permissible uses of GAI by employees. In this […]

Readers Respond: Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

A few weeks ago, we reported on a recent survey that collected real-life excuses employees used for being late. Employers beware of employees indulging in Thanksgiving leftovers; one worker blamed his tardiness on the turkey. (He was sleepy after eating it!) We asked our readers to share the strangest excuses they’ve heard for being late […]

Uber

Sharing is caring: Are Uber, Lyft drivers independent contractors?

by Ryan B. Frazier Whether workers are properly classified as employees or independent contractors has been an increasingly hot topic in discussions about the American labor market. Independent contractors are deemed to own their own business, making them responsible for covering most of their own business expenses, taxes, and costs. Worker classification is governed by […]

Living the dream

Litigation Value: None. I think The Office gods have been reading my blog entries and decided they’d give me an hour-long episode with very few legal issues. In last night’s episode, three main characters made significant career moves. Dwight received the manager promotion, Andy quit his job to pursue fame, and Jim decided to stay […]

Gen X Hesitant on Entering Retirement

It’s hard to believe that members of Generation X are getting close to retirement. But, it’s true! The oldest members of this cohort are nearing their 60s. Unfortunately, many Gen Xers are feeling financially insecure and unready to leave the workforce. It’s an understandably anxious situation. A person in their mid-sixties might live another 20 […]

age discrimination

Was Chicago Janitor Passed Up for Promotion Due to Age? 7th Circuit Weighs In

The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers employers in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—recently heard a claim in which a Chicago janitor says he was passed up for a promotion due to his age. However, the employer says it was because he failed to pass the exams required for the promotion. Does the janitor have […]

Crystal Ball—HR Trends and Traps 2014

We had dramatic changes in HR in 2013 and that’s going to continue, says attorney Mark Schickman of Freeland Cooper & Forman LLP in San Francisco. However, he points out, quoting Sir Winston Churchill, “To improve is to change. To be perfect is to change often.” What Are the Big Changes for the 21st Century? […]

Ask the Expert: What Should Employers Do When Doubting an Employee’s FMLA Eligibility?

Question: What can employers do when they doubt an employee’s certification for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? Answer: If an employer doubts the validity of an employee’s FMLA certification, it may require the employee to get a second opinion from a healthcare provider. Generally, for employees to be granted leave under […]