Tag: Employment law

Oh Baby!

Litigation Value: $50,000 (per Buffalo branch employee); $200,000 for various hostile work environment claims. “Company Picnic,” the season’s final episode, was a good one. Unfortunately, that also means that Dunder Mifflin is on the hook for several claims from some of its employees. One might think that the wrongful conduct took place at the volleyball […]

When Are Chiropractors ‘Health Care Providers’ Under the FMLA?

A little-known provision of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) makes treatment by a chiropractor different from treatment by almost any other health care provider. Let’s take a closer look at that provision. HR Guide to Employment Law: A practical compliance reference manual covering 14 topics, including FMLA What FMLA says about chiropractors The […]

Weathering the Economic Storm in Canada: Restructuring and Employees’ Rights

By Leanne Fioravanti and Stephen Acker In these tough financial times, a number of companies are trying to reorganize themselves in order to avoid insolvency or bankruptcy. In Canada, there are several laws that help facilitate this process: the Companies Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) and the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA). For the most part, […]

Attacking Motherhood and Apple Pie: Pregnancy Discrimination in the Workplace

by Al Vreeland What could be more noxious to the American soul than an assault on motherhood? We all have a mother (though some might question the genetic origin of lawyers). Many of us return to her apron strings when we need reassurance that we haven’t become fat and stupid (or at least completely so). […]

Increased Enforcement of Labor Laws a Top Priority for Obama Administration

One of the clearest indications of an administration’s priorities is the budget and the amount of funding provided to various programs. Budgets always have winners and losers and reflect the degree to which programs will be implemented. A review of President Barack Obama’s proposed budget and recent agency actions demonstrates that increased enforcement of labor […]

In States Where Unemployment Rates Rise, Employer Costs May Follow

According to the most recent Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Summary from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, state and regional unemployment rates continued their upward climb throughout the month of March. Forty-six states reported unemployment rate increases in March, and all 50 states and the District of Columbia have higher rates than they did […]

So You Think You Can Dance?

Litigation Value:  $250,000 The “Café Disco” episode of The Office might as well have been called “The Hostile Work Environment.” Or “The No Work Environment.” Dunder Mifflin Scranton turned into a coffee house dance bar at the expense of any corporate productivity. A hostile work environment exists when an employee experiences workplace harassment and fears […]

Attendance Management Programs and Human Rights

Managing absenteeism can be a significant challenge for Canadian employers. A wide variety of factual situations may be complicated by employment standards, privacy and human rights laws, as well as any applicable union agreements. An example of the potential challenges of implementing an attendance management program (AMP) is the decade-long battle between Coast Mountain Bus […]

New Bill Introduced to Curb Workplace Violence and Harassment

Ontario is looking to reduce violence and harassment in the workplace. To that end, Bill 168, An Act to amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act with respect to violence and harassment in the workplace, received first reading on April 20, 2009. Bill 168, if passed, would amend the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). […]