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All you need is employment law

Our blog seems to have focused quite a bit recently on stories from the world of sports, and given the number of professional athletes behaving badly lately, that comes as no surprise. So for this week, we’ll take a break from litigious punters, abusive running backs, and egotistical power forwards to focus on another area […]

Only in LA—Carpooling Goes Glam—in Limos!

Sure, you have tried to encourage your workers to take advantage of vanpool programs or public transit pass discounts. Now, because of a potential traffic nightmare, “employees” of some of the top television and cable shows have been asked to “share a ride” to the Emmys by carpooling in limos! And this could affect thousands […]

Which of the 7 Deadly Sins Are Your Managers Committing—Right Now?

Managers, managers, managers. Why can’t they just follow your policies and your practices? Wishful thinking. Here are seven deadly sins that your managers are probably committing right now, down the hall. Sin 1. Lust Sexual harassment continues to be a problem in the workplace. And it’s often worse when it’s a manager and a subordinate. […]

Can Failure to Train Be Considered Employment Discrimination?

The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals— which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee— recently reaffirmed that failure to train an employee can be an actionable form of discrimination. Facts Charles Reed, an African American, began working as a technician at Procter & Gamble’s Tennessee plant in 1996. He was promoted to a technician 2 position […]

Duties more important than titles when determining eligibility for overtime

by Marc Ouellet The issue of overtime has become a major concern for employers in the wake of class actions on the subject in Canada. The Québec Act Respecting Labour Standards (ALS) provides exemptions from the right to overtime including for employees in managerial positions. In Skiba v. Playground, L.P., the Court of Appeal of […]

Variable Pay—What’s Working? What’s Not?

Variable pay. Pay for performance. Simple concepts but difficult in practice. What’s happening in the real world? What are your competitors up to? Help us find out! Please participate in our brief survey and see how what you are doing stacks up against what other successful companies are doing. We’ll get answers to these questions […]

Employer Faces State-law Claims After False Promise Causes Beneficiary to Skip COBRA Coverage

A former employee left with more than $13,000 in unpaid medical bills after his employer retroactively terminated his employment and health benefits can sue for state-law claims, a federal district court ruled. The individual alleged that while he was hospitalized, the employer said his expenses would be covered. Thus, he did not elect COBRA coverage. […]

Executive Order creates new compliance requirements for federal contractors

On July 31, President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order “to promote economy and efficiency in procurement by contracting with responsible sources who comply with labor laws.” The order will apply to new government contracts worth more than $500,000, and according to a White House fact sheet, it will be “implemented on new contracts in […]

Edginess About Ebola Points to Need for Pandemic Preparation

An outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in Africa is causing concern in the United States, as the medical community and various organizations watch to see if the outbreak will be contained, or will spread globally. Although this situation is occurring thousands of miles away, it is a good reminder for businesses in the United […]