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This week was a rerun of the episode “Golden Ticket,” where we learned that Dwight keeps a diary, mostly about what Michael does. While I’m not recommending that you document every little thing the people in your office (and particularly your boss!) do, the episode is a good reminder about the importance of documentation. It […]
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) held a public hearing on July 15 to review recent developments under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA). The panel discussed the effects of widespread layoffs, threats to employee benefits, and controversial recent court decisions on older workers. The panelists testified in detail about the damaging effect […]
Last month, we published a guest E-pinion by Maurizio Morselli in which he talked about HR’s role in curing “fiscal decadence disorder” and ensuring that reductions in force don’t cut any deeper than necessary. His column generated some interesting feedback, which we share today. I like the article on HR’s role in curing the Fiscal […]
There has been a flurry of health care reform activity in Washington over the last couple of days. House Democrats unveiled their version of health care reform July 14, which includes a “pay-or-play requirement” directed at employers. On July 15, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved health care reform legislation that […]
All right, I’m officially over the recession. I’m tired of reading, writing, thinking, and talking about it. Most of all I’m tired of having to deal with it every day in our business. I long for the good ol’ days. For our industry — publishing — that was the go-go ’90s. But at this point […]
Furloughs are appealing solutions to cash shortages, but they are not simple to implement, says Doug Christensen, a partner in Dorsey & Whitney’s Labor and Employment law practice group in Minneapolis. In a recent article in USA TODAY, Christensen explained that there are a number of complex legal issues that companies must navigate, such as: […]
By now, most employers have at least heard that California prohibits “use it or lose it” vacation policies—meaning that once an employee earns vacation time, that time can’t be forfeited for any reason. But can an employer decide not to award vacation time right away to new employees? The answer is yes—according to a recent […]
by Amy M. McLaughlin In part one of this article, we discussed the increase in the number of discrimination charges filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) against private-sector employers since 2006. In 2006, the EEOC saw it’s first increase in charge filings in four years. By 2008, the number of discrimination claims filed […]
Jennifer Scott was the director of the Rocklin (near Sacramento) campus of Phoenix Schools, Inc.—a franchise of private preschools.
In these tough economic times, mandatory furloughs may be an attractive alternative for many employers. However, while furloughs don’t create many of the risks of termination, there are legal pitfalls to avoid. Law firm Littler Mendelson P.C.’s blog Insight offers advice for employers contemplating furloughs. Littler attorneys Alison S. Hightower, Eric C. Bellafronto, Barry Y. […]