Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Joseph C. Pettygrove The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was very complicated when it was originally enacted in 1993. The sheer number of complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the courts since then confirms that employers and employees have long disagreed about how the law applies in their individual […]
By Donna Gallant The much-awaited appeal decision in Fresco v. CIBC was released in September. The appeal court declined to interfere with the original decision of Justice Lax. She had denied Dara Fresco’s bid to bring a class action against CIBC for unpaid overtime. This is one of three high-profile cases we have been following, […]
by Chuck Harrison When a warehouse worker was injured in a car accident in 2008, his employer did the right thing: Maersk Distribution accommodated his graduated return to work and provided him with light duties. Maersk stepped up again when the employee’s shoulder injury was further aggravated. But when the economy took a turn for […]
Prison Sentences for Michael, Dwight, and Jim: Up to seven years for interception of oral communications plus up to seven years for attempted theft of trade secrets. There may also be criminal conspiracy prosecutions against Meredith, Oscar, and Ryan. Litigation Value: Danny Cordray’s action for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress against Dunder Mifflin […]
by Robert A. Berry Business is tough. It’s even harder in today’s climate — and that’s assuming all of your employees are working for the good of the business. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. It may be a valued and trusted employee with many years of dedicated service, or it may be someone new […]
By Susan Bradley and Gilda Villaran In November 2009, we started a discussion on the fundamentals of Canadian work permits. Until now, Canadian employers didn’t have to obtain a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from Services Canada for certain information technology (IT) professionals. Employers didn’t have to prove that they had advertised the position, that they […]
Kidnapping day laborers = possible jail time for Dwight; giving Oscar another paid vacation and use of a company car= $15,000; settling claims related to Andy’s sex-ed course = more than just some free pizza; watching Michael try to convince an elderly stranger that they were once lovers = priceless. Between Michael tracking down his former girlfriends […]
by Dennis J. Merley The “will he or won’t he” retirement saga of Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre has been a source of speculation and a modest degree of amusement in the sports world. His more recent “did he or didn’t he” events, however, raise serious issues that HR professionals and employment lawyers know all […]
by Wendi Watts One by one, we watched miracle after miracle happen as each miner was rescued from deep underground in Chile. Only the coldest of hearts wasn’t overwhelmed with emotion while watching these men step into daylight and enjoy extended hugs in tearful reunions with their loved ones. As each man surfaced and was […]
By Ida Martin This December, the Supreme Court of Canada is set to hear a case involving the issue of whether the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has the authority to grant legal costs to a successful complainant. In an area of law where legal costs often dwarf the actual amount of any award, the Supreme […]