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When Employees Blow the Whistle

by Hillary J. Collyer Whistleblowing has become a hot topic. Just a few years ago, three prominent whistleblowers were named Time magazine’s “person of the year.” Whistleblowing occurs when an employee charges that some wrongdoing or illegal conduct occurred within the company. This article addresses employers’ responsibility to protect whistleblowers from retaliation. No statute spells […]

Awards Season

The Golden Globes were canceled, and it isn’t looking so good for the Oscars. So, in the spirit of the awards season, I have decided to give out a few awards of my own. And I’d like to invite all of you to be the Academy. My first category is “Best Plaintiff in an Employment-Based […]

Voting: Do I Have to Let Employees Off Early to Vote?

Several of our workers have been talking about voting in the California presidential primary election on February 5. I’m wondering how this will affect the workday—do I have to let them off early to vote? — Anonymous The HR Management & Compliance Report: How To Comply with California Wage & Hour Law, explains everything you […]

The Company Watchdog: Should It Be YOU?

Just My E-pinion By Stephen D. Bruce, Ph.D.Editor, HR Daily Advisor When egregious violations occur unchallenged, an HRDA editor asks, “Where was HR?” And he gives 6 practical tips to help you make sure you’re there when you are needed. In 20 years of editing Daily Advisor’s sister publication, the HR Manager’s Legal Reporter, I’ve […]

The Exemption-Killer: Exempt Pay Docking

Generally, if you dock the pay of exempt workers, you kill their exemption because you are treating them like nonexempts. You could easily owe a few years’ worth of overtime. But DOL does allow docking in certain circumstances. Here are those exceptions, along with a resource to make sure FLSA disasters don’t befall you. In […]

Recruiting the Workforce of the Future

Ralph Gaillard reviews the book Recruiting the Workforce of the Future by Bruce Tulgan. Review praises book’s striaghtforward advice and checklists to help HR recruit the right employees. Let’s face it: Recruiting is no picnic. In fact, it’s one of the biggest headaches facing HR today. The pressure to find that perfect candidate has never […]

Bereavement Leave (Employee Version): HR Form of the Week

It’s a sad situation that every employer must face at one time or another—the death of an employee’s family member. While no federal or California law requires employers to provide bereavement leave in this situation, most employers do allow employees a few days off when an immediate family member dies, and sometimes the leave is […]

Employment Law Tip: Voting Time Off Checklist

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008, Californians will go to the polls to vote in the presidential primary election—and this means it’s time for California employers to brush up on their voting leave and posting compliance duties. Here’s a quick checklist you can use: