Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Louise Bechamp A recent arbitration decision out of the province of Quebec (available in French only) involving the director of a bankrupt corporation serves as a reminder that directors can be personally liable for unpaid employee wages, notice of termination, and vacation pay.
The Vermont Legislature has passed a bill that soon will require employers to provide employees with paid sick leave. The bill, which passed the Vermont Senate on February 10 and the House on February 17, is expected to gain Governor Peter Shumlin’s signature. Presuming the governor signs the bill, the law will go into effect […]
Employers are generally willing, even eager, to invest time, energy, and money into bringing on a superstar employee. They’re confident the payoff that comes from hiring a star will make the effort worth it. But what if the employer also has a toxic employee? Will a strong hire counteract the damage? A recent Harvard Business […]
Somewhere between outrage, bewilderment, and comedy falls the news that a U.K. production company has cast very very very white actor Joseph Fiennes as Michael Jackson in Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon, a short film about a rumored post-9/11 road trip involving Liz Taylor, Michael Jackson, and Marlon Brando. There has been much criticism of this particular casting decision, […]
by Dan Oswald Sunday was Valentine’s Day. Here’s hoping you got to spend it with loved ones. My wife and I traveled to visit our daughter at college and got to spend the day with her. It was a good day and everything I could ask for to celebrate my February holiday. I remember as […]
by Mark I. Schickman U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia’s death marks a landmark in American law. Off the bench, he was avuncular, professorial, funny, and friendly, a mind like a machine gun, dangerous and quick. In last year’s biggest employment case, EEOC v. Abercrombie and Fitch, Scalia was the most aggressive questioner of the […]
by Cathy Chandler The workplace can play an essential role in helping individuals maintain positive mental health. However, it also can be a stressful environment that may contribute to mental health issues and illness. In a 2009 study three out of 10 Canadian employees reported that their work environments were not psychologically safe or healthy. […]
Employers and academics alike have long touted the value of diversity in the workplace. But diversity efforts also have detractors—a fact born out in December when criticism was heaped on the CEO of Sam’s Club after she spoke out about her commitment to building her own diverse leadership team and encouraging the same from her […]
by Jonathan R. Mook News reports of yet another workplace shooting have become all too frequent in our media-saturated world. The seemingly constant reports of shootings makes clear to all employers the inconvenient truth that no workplace is totally immune from the possibility that a violent incident will occur. Indeed, according to the federal Occupational […]
by Kelly Boehner There is no federal law in the United States mandating paid maternity or parental leave. Currently, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides for 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child or the placement of a child in foster care. Employees are eligible to […]