Author: Alabama Employment Law Letter

New Alabama law opens door to erase certain criminal convictions

by Whitney Brown A new Alabama law taking effect July 7 allows individuals to apply to have certain criminal proceedings expunged, meaning an applicant will be excused from disclosing the offense on employment applications. Offenses must be misdemeanors or nonviolent felonies, and charges must have been dismissed, been “no-billed” by a grand jury, been dismissed […]

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High school diploma or college degree? What’s really necessary?

What do billionaires Bill Gates, Richard Branson, and David Geffen have in common besides having achieved extraordinary success in business? The answer to that question for some employers is: They’re unemployable. None of those business greats earned a bachelor’s degree.  The value of a college degree is often debated among employers, but many now are […]

Obama plans Executive Order against sexual orientation bias by contractors

by Tammy Binford Continuing his use of Executive Orders in what’s being called a “year of action,” President Barack Obama plans to sign an order to prohibit federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, according to news reports. On June 16, news reports quoted a White House official as […]

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Looking for great talent? Start by recognizing potential

by Dan Oswald The cover article in the June issue of Harvard Business Review is titled “The Big Idea: 21st-Century Talent Spotting.” Since all of us as managers are constantly on the lookout for talent, the title of course grabbed my attention. The author, Claudio Fernández-Aráoz, a senior adviser at a global executive firm, boldly […]

4 slam-dunk tips for HR pros from Spurs’ NBA success

I’m a Wake Forest basketball fan from way back, so I’ve followed Tim Duncan’s professional career closely since 1998. All the sports fans out there are well aware by now that Duncan’s San Antonio Spurs won their fifth NBA title last night in convincing fashion over the Miami Heat. All the Spurs’ titles have come […]

New Wyoming law will help employers protect their computer systems

by Bradley T. Cave A Wyoming law going into effect on July 1 creates a new criminal offense—computer trespassing—that may give employers a new tool to prevent employee sabotage. Computer trespassing occurs when a person knowingly and without authorization sends malware, data, or a program that (1) alters or damages a computer, system, or network […]

Employers need to understand injury reporting obligations

By Rosalind H. Cooper In most provinces across Canada, occupational health and safety legislation requires that employers and other workplace parties report injuries and incidents to the appropriate government ministry. While most reporting requirements relate to workplace injuries, there are also requirements to report certain types of incidents regardless of whether there is an associated […]

Win-win: Eldercare support helps employees, employers alike

No matter how devoted to the job employees may be, their lives extend beyond the workplace. And an increasing number of employees are finding that their non-work responsibilities include eldercare.  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in September 2013 that 39.6 million people were providing unpaid eldercare in 2011-2012. Many of those caregivers were […]

A Sterling reputation tarnished

by Kylie Crawford TenBrook, Best Western International, Inc. In April, recordings of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling making racist remarks to his half-black, half-Mexican girlfriend assistant* surfaced. Among those remarks were the following: It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to? You […]

50 ways to list your lover

by Mark I. Schickman Anyone who has filled out EEO-1 forms knows the challenge of fitting humans into demographic boxes. People’s backgrounds and orientations often defy ready definition, leaving you to your best guess under the circumstances. Facebook has the same problem since checking demographic boxes can be confusing or challenging for users. It has […]