Archives

New Supreme Court Ruling Rocks the Title VII World

The U.S. Supreme Court ended its 2008-2009 term in dramatic fashion when it released its decision in a highly anticipated and controversial reverse discrimination case. Although the case had been in the media since it reached the Supreme Court, it became even more intensely scrutinized once President Barack Obama chose Judge Sonia Sotomayor as his […]

DOL Issues Ruling on Affirmative Action

On May 29, the Administrative Review Board (ARB) of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued an important decision on the scope of coverage of the nondiscrimination and affirmative action provisions of Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA). […]

Democrats Drop EFCA Card-Check Provision

Democrats have reportedly agreed to drop the card-check provision of the controversial Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). The card-check provision would have made it much easier for employees to form labor unions by allowing a majority of employees to unionize by signing card-check petitions. Under this provision, employers would no longer have been able to […]

What Should Employers Do When I-9s Aren’t Filled Out Completely?

by Emily Hobbs-Wright Q: We have 40 stores, and sometimes the I-9s we receive aren’t filled out completely. If just a date is missing (not verification of documents or a signature), can we e-mail the store and ask for the date and fill it in ourselves, or do we need to send the forms back […]

Proceed with Caution When Rehiring Laid-Off Employees

by Kara Shea One hopeful sign that our economy is perhaps inching back in the right direction is the number of calls I’ve received in recent weeks from clients inquiring about hiring back employees let go during a reduction in force (RIF). Some employers have told me they’re contemplating bringing back certain positions, or even […]

What Does Your Employee Handbook Say About Breastfeeding?

California law requires that employers provide female employees who wish to express breast milk for nursing infants with: A reasonable opportunity to take breaks for the purpose of expressing breast milk, which can be timed with the employee’s regular break schedule; and Reasonable access to a private location to express breast milk, other than public […]

Documentation Can be Your Golden Ticket

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 […]

EEOC Hearing Highlights Impact of Age Discrimination

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 […]

Rightsizing’s Near- and Long-Term Costs

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 […]

House, Senate HELP Committee Health Care Reform Bills

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 […]