Category: HR Management & Compliance

There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.

Lessons From the Defamation Lawsuit Against Rudy Guiliani

Readers may have noticed news reports that on August 30, a federal judge declared Rudy Giuliani was on the losing end of a defamation lawsuit filed by two Georgia election workers. He had claimed they were involved in election shenanigans but ultimately, the accusation was baseless. But that isn’t why he lost. Rather, the judge […]

Denying Religious Accommodations Now More Difficult Under Federal Law

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) requires employers to accommodate employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs unless accommodation would result in an undue hardship. Historically, denial of a religious accommodation has carried a minimal burden of showing hardship, but a recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court just made denying a […]

Recent Home Depot Case Hammers Home Rules of Procedure

Home Depot was recently entangled in a personal injury lawsuit filed against it by an employee who hurt his back loading a lawn mower onto a customer’s trailer. Discovery [pretrial fact finding] ensued, which is where important lessons—for all Texas employers, not just those that opt out of workers’ compensation—were dealt out by the Beaumont […]

Long Live Physical Document Examination

Starting August 1, 2023, employers that have registered for E-Verify for a location may use a new video procedure in lieu of an in-person inspection to verify new hires and their documents to complete Form I-9. Employers that had used special COVID-19 procedures to verify employees remotely may use the new video procedure to meet […]

Does Your Handbook Need Revision Following Recent NLRB Decision?

Two years ago, in a memo issued by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the agency’s general counsel signaled that one of the Board’s main priorities would be to scrutinize whether certain workplace policies unlawfully infringed on employees’ rights to engage in protected activity under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Common […]

Recent SCOTUS Decision Suggests You Can Be Sued in Any State

A recent (and surprising) ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court may allow businesses to be sued in states where they have little connection. The Court ruled 5-4 to uphold a Pennsylvania law that requires a corporation to consent to the jurisdiction of Pennsylvania courts over them as a condition of registering to do business there. […]

Following New Decision, Your Handbook May Be Unlawful and Need Revision

Two years ago, in a memo issued by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the agency’s general counsel signaled that one of the Board’s main priorities would be to scrutinize whether certain workplace policies unlawfully infringed on employees’ rights to engage in protected activity under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Common […]

Supreme Court Ruling Requires More Rigor from Employers for Employee Requests for Religious Accommodations

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires employers to accommodate their employees’ religious practices so long as doing so wouldn’t impose an undue hardship on the employers.  Title VII Title VII, as amended, protects employees and job applicants from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, and national origin.  Whom Does […]

How Workplaces Can Support Working Parents (And All Workers) During the School Year

With school and many childcare facilities back in session, the months during the school year are extremely challenging for working parents, who are trying to balance ever-changing family schedules and professional responsibilities. The result is often increased multitasking and/or employees putting in long and late nights trying to catch up on assignments. Here are some […]

It’s Important that Employees Know Who Can Fire Them

Employers frequently use lead persons who aren’t supervisors with the authority to fire employees. However, problems can arise when employees believe such leads can fire them. A recent case before the Arkansas Court of Appeals illustrates this problem. Background In an unbriefed appeal to the court of appeals, Erin Daniels challenged the Arkansas Board of […]