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Don’t Let ‘Enhanced’ Severance Be a Surprise During Terminations

McCarthy Tetrault Since the concept of at-will employment isn’t recognized in Canada, U.S. employers need to understand how terminations are handled in their operations north of the border. Are you confident that your termination decisions are in line with Canadian law? And what about the “enhanced” severance known as “Wallace damages”? Are you clear on […]

6 Reasons Cash Is a Rotten Carrot: The Pitfalls of Cash Wellness Incentives

By Bryan Van Noy, cofounder of Sonic Boom Wellness When it comes to wellness incentives, cash is quite common. It’s commonly abused, commonly ineffective, and oh-so-commonly unoriginal. The jury may still be out on the superiority of carrots over sticks, but don’t fall victim to this obviously rotten carrot. Just because employees request cash above […]

Michigan

Refusal to Undergo Medical Exam Tanks Michigan Worker’s ADA Claim

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit—which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee—recently affirmed a grant of summary judgment (dismissal without a trial) in favor of a city that fired an employee for refusing to undergo a medical examination as a condition of returning to work after medical leave. Facts

Gays and Lesbians Are Not in a Protected Class … or Are They?

Title VII does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation. However, individuals who identify as gays, lesbians, or transgendered have successfully asserted claims of discrimination under Title VII. The claims are made on the basis of an employer’s gender stereotyping of characteristics or traits associated with a particular gender. For example, a federal court has […]

procrastination

Addressing Employee Procrastination

The workforce is full of people with diverse working styles. Some are seemingly obsessed with getting ahead of the game and tackling assignments as soon as possible. Others tend to wait until the last minute.

Purpose and Making Work Matter Must Be a Strategic Priority for HR in 2023

Employees spend 40+ hours a week working. This equates to more time at work than doing anything else, including parenting, interacting with loved ones, and engaging in personal passions. Over the past 3 years, employee engagement and, ultimately, retention have decreased sharply in the wake of the Great Resignation and the quiet quitting movements, and […]

Employer obtains injunction to prevent misuse of its confidential information

by David McDonald When an employee announces that he or she is resigning in order to go work for a competitor, it is only natural for an employer to become anxious—particularly when the departing employee has access to the business’s confidential information. Complicating matters further is the technological ease with which an employee can wrongfully […]

Don’t ‘Bare Arms’ in My Workplace, Warns Judge

You’ve heard of the “fashion police,” but now a judge is critiquing what attorneys wear in his courtroom. And the dress code he prefers may not be considered fashion-forward. If you watch the news or talk shows, you know that short-skirted sleeveless dresses, especially in bright colors and worn with killer heels, are what’s hot […]