Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Bipolar disorder presents one of the trickiest challenges in accommodation. It’s doubly ticklish because it often combines your greatest star with your biggest problem—all in one person, says expert Tom Wootton. We have no accurate statistics regarding the prevalence of bipolar disorder in the workplace, especially because it is often hidden due to stigma, says […]
The U.S. Department of Labor will finalize new Section 503 regulations Sept. 24, according to the Office of the Federal Register. The rules create several new responsibilities for federal contractors and subcontractors, including a mandate that they aim to have workers with disabilities make up 7 percent of their workforces. If the rules are published […]
Authentication and Clarification of Medical Certifications Employers are entitled to authenticate or clarify information received on a medical certification form. It is important to note that the definitions of what constitutes permissible authentication and clarification are very limited. “Authentication” means providing the healthcare provider with a copy of the medical certification and requesting verification that […]
Can an employer legally terminate an employee who is permanently disabled and can no longer perform the essential job functions? Do Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protections apply to all employees immediately, or must they be employed with the company for a certain amount of time first? What can employers ask when it comes to […]
Is cancer considered to be a disability when it comes to ADA protections? The short answer is yes. The longer answer will depend on the specific circumstances of the employee. So, when is cancer a disability? It will be when: Cancer or its side effects substantially limits one or more of a person’s major life […]
“One of the key factors of the ADA is not only the non-discrimination component, but the requirement that an employer reasonably accommodate the individual with a disability – in this case, someone who has been diagnosed with cancer.” Jonathan R. Mook explained in a recent BLR webinar. The duty to accommodate is a very broad […]
A Popeye’s chicken franchise refused to hire a job applicant because he was HIV-positive, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has alleged in a lawsuit. Famous Chicken of Shreveport, LLC, a company that owns several Popeye’s Chicken restaurants, violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, the EEOC’s suit alleges. The general manager of a Longview, Texas, […]
[Go here for skills 1 to 5] HR Manager’s Key Skill #6—Discrete and Ethical HR professionals are the conscience of the company, as well as the keepers of confidential information. As you serve the needs of top management, you also monitor their actions toward employees to be sure that policies and regulations are followed. You […]
A Players Don’t Have to Play on B Teams Kleiman uses baseball analogies for clues about why managers lose A players: A players never have to play on a B team, he says. And they don’t want to play with B or C players. That makes for problems when A players’ managers retain poor performers, […]
by Kevin C. McCormick Maryland’s Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnant Workers Act goes into effect October 1, meaning Maryland employers with 15 or more employees must provide reasonable accommodations to employees who experience a disability because of a pregnancy. Basically, the new law requires employers to treat pregnancies in much the same way disabilities covered by […]