Tag: Employment law

Men don’t [take] leave

At least that’s what former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason and radio talk show host Mike Francesa believe. Their critical comments of New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy, particularly those made by Esiason, recently created a storm of controversy that extended beyond just the sports world. Murphy missed the first two games of the 2014 […]

Court sends supervisor to jail

By Antonio Di Domenico We know that Canadian courts are increasingly more willing to impose significant six- and seven-figure fines on employers convicted of criminal workplace negligence or occupational health and safety violations. Indeed, we reported on two recent examples—Vale Canada Limited and Metron Construction—where the companies were given record fines in these types of […]

Rumor has it . . . the NLRB is cracking down on no-gossip policies

by Christopher J. Pyles Apologies to Adele, but the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has whispered some words in my ear that tell a story employers won’t want to hear. People may say crazy things ― and the NLRB won’t let a “no-gossip” policy stop them.   Pssst, did you hear? By now, most employers are […]

Binge work and the ever-expanding grindstone: What’s HR’s role?

Employees adhering to the old-style conventional wisdom that urges them to keep their noses to the grindstone hope their hard work will pay off. But they might be wise to heed a more modern take on how to approach work: Slow down and guard your health.   The concept of “binge working” is getting a lot […]

Minimum wage debate alive in Canada, too

By Bonny Mak Waterfall Minimum wage increases may not be quite as controversial in Canada as they appear to be in the United States, but the issue is certainly alive. Four Canadian provinces and one territory have announced increases to their minimum wage rates for 2014:

Veronica Mars: Return to Neptune

Thanks in large part to a record-breaking Kickstarter campaign, legions of “Marshmallows” and I recently got to enjoy new adventures of Veronica Mars on the big screen. Although Veronica left the small screen back in 2007, that did not stop my favorite private detective from diving right back into action (and danger) in the film version. The premise of the film […]

Feds to employers: Do as I say, not as I do

by Kylie Crawford TenBrook I’m no longer allowed to cuss in my house. It was a tough habit to break ― as the only girl in a family of seven children, I grew up with a lot of profanity. But I realized that I had to change my family’s behavior after a recent trip during […]

Employee Challenges Wellness Incentive under State Wage-Hour Law

A pharmacy chain is being sued over its requirement that employees undergo a “wellness exam” or pay a $600 surcharge on their health plan contribution. The lawsuit, filed in California state court as a class action, characterizes the surcharge as an illegal “wage deduction,” and contends that employees who did take the exam should have […]

Keeping policies legal: Don’t ban employees from talking about pay

It’s tempting for employers to put rules in the company handbook informing employees that they are prohibited from discussing wages and benefits with coworkers. Such policies often warn employees that violators will be subject to discipline up to and including termination.  But who’s really in trouble because of that kind of policy? The employee polling […]

Overtime class actions on the increase in Canada

By Hannah Roskey Overtime class actions are alive and well in Canada. This was confirmed by a recent Ontario court decision. In Rosen v. BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., a Superior Court judge allowed such a class action, brought on behalf of a group of investment advisers, to proceed.