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California Expands Health Insurance Protection for Pregnant Workers

Starting Jan. 1, 2012, employers in California with five or more employees must continue paying their share of health insurance premiums for female employees taking leave under the Pregnancy Disability Leave law for up to four months in any 12-month period. Employers will also be liable for interfering with, restraining or denying the exercise of […]

You’re the Investigator? Juries Have High Expectations

Although most organizations are not particularly sophisticated in their investigation policies and procedures, says attorney Michael Soltis, unfortunately, juries have high expectations, especially for bigger organizations. How good must misconduct investigations be? There is, of course, no exact answer, say Michael Soltis and Allison Bogosian, attorneys at the Stamford, Conn. offices of nationwide employment law […]

Ramping Up at BLR: Hiring Key People

From Dan: As a way to honor the individuals who have taught me critical life lessons about people and business, I’ve invited several to write guest columns to run in this space over the next few weeks. Today’s voice of experience once again is Robert L. Brady, the founder of BLR®—Business & Legal Resources. This […]

Disability Etiquette: A Primer

The Disability Access Office in San Antonio, Texas, has published The Disability Etiquette Handbook. The handbook, which is on the web, covers a variety of issues. We thought we’d give you a sample. Reception Etiquette Greeting someone with a disability often makes a person without a disability awkward and uncomfortable. That doesn’t make you a […]

California: Marijuana Referendum Goes Down in Ashes

by Mark Schickman, Freeland Cooper & Foreman LLP Politically, California bucked the national move to the right, reelecting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Barbara Boxer — two poster children for the perceived overreaches of the Obama administration. In the governor’s race, it rejected the claimed business savvy of former e-Bay CEO Meg Whitman, instead […]

Workers’ Compensation—It Just Won’t Go Away

Worker’s comp—little changed for many years, yet still a hassle, day after day. In today’s Advisor, we’ll feature case studies—all based on real situations—that help us deal with this frustrating part of HR management. Can an Employee ‘Under the Influence’ Be Denied Workers’ Comp Benefits? Jason Kohler wore 42-inch drywall stilts on his job installing […]

News Notes: Communications With EAP Counselors Are Privileged

Oksana Oleszko sued her employer, State Compensation Insurance Fund, for sexual harassment, racial and national-origin discrimination and retaliation. To help prove her claims, Oleszko asked the court to force State Fund to reveal communications between co-workers and unlicensed counselors in its employee assistance program. State Fund balked, saying disclosure would discourage employees from seeking needed […]

Climbing the Steps (Literally) To Employee Wellness, Morale

Given the choice of climbing three flights of stairs or taking an elevator, most people would probably opt for the elevator. But that’s not necessarily the case at Griffin Hospital, Derby, CT, where a renovated stairwell—complete with carpeting, upbeat music, artwork, and aroma therapy—has generated more interest in trekking up the stairs. The stairwell was […]

Colorado wage theft protection law takes effect in January

by Emily Hobbs-Wright Most provisions of Colorado’s new Wage Protection Act, which establishes an administrative procedure to adjudicate wage claims under state law, will take effect January 1. The law means that for wages and compensation earned on or after January 1, 2015, the Colorado Division of Labor may receive complaints and adjudicate claims for […]