Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Employers may be reeling from what they see as swift and dramatic changes related to employment regulation. In recent months, they’ve found themselves dealing with new rules on union representation elections, an impending expansion of who is eligible for overtime, a more restricted view of the use of independent contractors, as well as an array […]
by Connor Beatty Each month, economists eagerly await the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) jobs report. The report provides analysts a snapshot of the nation’s economic health by measuring the number of jobs the economy added or lost in the previous month. Based on a recent study, perhaps HR managers should review the monthly jobs […]
Taylor Swift’s complaint that a DJ grabbed her derriere while a photograph was being taken before a concert has led to a federal lawsuit. The DJ claims he got a bum wrap (pun intended) and that it was actually someone else at the radio station who groped the singer. Now the DJ’s got bad blood […]
by Clayton Jones Does a poor economy mean a shorter reasonable notice period? Canadian employers often ask this question—particularly in cyclical industries. When assessing reasonable notice, courts will consider the employee’s position and responsibilities, length of service, age, and the availability of similar employment. Not only has it been unusual for courts to consider negative […]
Perfume, air fresheners, even soap and shampoo are supposed to make the world more pleasant. But that’s not always the case, and those scented products can even present legal risks in the workplace. With many employees claiming an allergy or some other sensitivity to scented products, the human resources department may be tasked with solving […]
Mike Judge has done it again. A few months ago, I wrote about one of my favorite workplace flicks, Office Space, and the dangers of pushing off uncomfortable employment issues (specifically Milt Waddams, a mumbly arsonist-to-be). Now I’m hooked on Mike Judge’s latest project, HBO’s Silicon Valley. Silicon Valley chronicles the ups and downs of […]
by Whitney Brown On August 26, a TV reporter and cameraman were fatally shot by a former coworker while on location doing a live interview in Roanoke, Virginia. That same day, a sous chef at P.F. Chang’s in the Northshore Mall in Peabody, Massachusetts, was stabbed to death by a coworker. Just this week, a […]
A Texas oil field construction and services company will pay $30,000 to settle an EEOC retaliation lawsuit after the company fired its only female roustabout, Elma Garza, after she reported being sexually harassed on the job. Garza was hired by the company in January 2012 as a dump truck driver, and spent most of her […]
by Marc Ouellet Do employers in Canada have absolute discretion when it comes to probationary employees’ performance evaluations and whether or not to maintain employment after the probationary period? In Union des employées et employées de service, section locale 800 v. Limocar Estrie Inc. (available only in French), where the business in question was unionized, […]
Employers write policies to make their workplaces run smoothly. When employees know the rules, expectations, practices, and procedures, they should be well-equipped to work productively and harmoniously. But as important as policies are, they can be problematic too. A survey released in August from Business and Legal Resources (BLR) shows what issues employers tackle with […]