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EEOC Reports Job Bias Claims at New Record

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that workplace discrimination charge filings increased 15 percent last year to an unprecedented level of 95,402. While the agency stated that it didn’t know if this was a trend, it was an indication of a persistent problem. All of the main categories of charge filings with the […]

Firefighter Gets $1.1 Million for Discrimination

The Second Appellate Division of the California Court of Appeal recently upheld a jury verdict exceeding $1.1 million against the Pasadena Fire Department for subjecting a firefighter to a fitness-for-duty examination and retiring him, failing to provide a reasonable accommodation for his perceived disability, and failing to engage in an interactive process. Firefighter Loses Racial […]

When Hiring Slows, Hiring Claims Climb

It’s no secret that it is hard to find work in today’s economy. As a result, rejected candidates are more likely to put up a fight—and file lawsuits—says attorney Sandra Rappaport. So it’s more important than ever for interviewers to do everything right. It may seem like easy times for recruiters, but there’s a catch—rejected […]

Dazed and Confused in an ‘Uncertain Economy’

I’m in the process of writing my Q1 report for our board of directors and I’m trying to come up with the appropriate adjective to describe the current economic environment and explain its impact on our business. As I searched for the right adjective to describe the business climate we’re facing I first considered “challenging.” […]

Federal Contractors’ Deadline on E-Verify Moved to June 30

Update: E-verify deadline moved to September 2009 The deadline for federal contractors and subcontractors to begin using the E-Verify system has once again been delayed –- this time to June 30. The rule requiring federal contractors and subcontractors to agree to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their employees went into effect in January, but […]

Practical Job Descriptions Benefit Employees and Employers

Should our company use job descriptions? How long should they be, and what information should they contain? Do they really serve a useful purpose? Employers attorneys get those questions all the time, and the answer is always the same: Yes, employers should use lean, practical job descriptions that accurately reflect essential job duties because they […]

Interns and Trainees: Must They Be Paid?

(Updated May 2010) By Hillary J. Collyer Summer is here, which means that student interns are arriving for their summer internships — and many of these internships are unpaid. Internships afford students the opportunity to gain practical, real world experience, as well as explore various career paths and develop potential contacts. Employers should be careful, […]

Coffee with a Conscience: 5 Ways to Make Break Time Greener

by Sarah McAdams The average office worker in America uses about 500 disposable cups every year, according to the Clean Air Council. If 10 million of them used their own mugs, it would eliminate about 312,500 miles of trash every year. Launching a “green coffee” program at your company can be as simple as changing […]

All’s Not Fair in Love and War

Litigation Value: $250,000 Things escalated quickly during the “Heavy Competition” episode of The Office. Michael Scott ratcheted up his sales efforts by trying to get Dwight Schrute to give him some of Dunder Mifflin’s customers. But when new Dunder Mifflin boss Charles Minor gained Dwight’s respect (with a well-appreciated handshake –- “it’s firm!”), the deal […]

Bo Obama and Pets in the Workplace

I’m going to break with my usual business-oriented notes from the editor this week to write about something near and dear to my heart — dogs. After months of anticipation and speculation, the Obama family finally got their new dog, Bo (pictured on the left), this week and introduced him to the world. While the […]