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A California court of appeals has ruled that an employee cannot recover punitive damages for the employer’s violations of state Labor Code provisions governing meal and rest breaks, pay stubs, and minimum wages.1 That’s because those Labor Code provisions include specific remedies, including penalties that are punitive in nature—and those are the only remedies available. […]
When an employee files a lawsuit that turns out to be frivolous, the employer can usually recover its own attorney’s fees expended in defending itself in the case. But now, in a blow for employers, a California appeals court has ruled that Exxon Corp. could not recover attorney’s fees it was required to expend to […]
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved two pieces of legislation that proponents say will boost protections against gender discrimination in compensation. The first, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to declare that an unlawful employment practice occurs when (1) a discriminatory compensation decision or […]
Poor economic conditions are contributing to a rise in workplace theft by employees, according to a new survey of 392 employers conducted by the Institute for Corporate Productivity. Twenty-four percent of all respondents and 31 percent of respondents at large companies (10,000 or more workers) reported an increase in theft of office supplies, products produced […]
The following is a list of the bestselling hardcover business books as ranked by the New York Times on January 26. 1. Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. hy some people succeed — it has to do with luck and opportunities as well as talent — from the author of Blink: The Power […]
It’s time to post your Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300A, the summary of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred last year. Unless you have 10 or fewer employees or fall within one of the industries normally excused from the Occupational Safety and Health Act’s (OSH Act) recordkeeping and posting requirements, you’re required […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has just released a ruling in the case of Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, concluding that Title VII’s anti-retaliation provision extends to an employee who speaks out about discrimination while answering questions during an employer’s internal investigation.
Employee engagement is one of today’s hot HR topics. Schawk, Inc., found that its automated appraisal and evaluation system has dramatically improved both communication and employee engagement. That’s the word from Jennifer Erfurth, global vice president of HR at Schawk, Inc., a provider of knowledge-based brand image management solutions. Her comments appeared in BLR’s Best […]
Now that President Barack Obama has been sworn into office many expect to see more new workplace regulations in the upcoming months than at any time in the last two decades. This article discusses of some of the proposed legislation that could affect employers in the areas of civil rights (the Civil Rights Act of […]
Litigation value: $0 In the Prince Family Paper episode of The Office, the employees of Dunder Mifflin Scranton act inappropriately and potentially create liability for the company on two different fronts. But fortunately, as seems to be the case quite often this season, no one does anything to definitely create liability for the company. That […]