Ummmm … Ahhhhh … Er … (You on the Witness Stand?)
Don’t terminate without running through this list of hidden problems, says attorney Edward M. Richters.
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Terminating Employees: New “Cal/WARN” Law Imposes Broad Layoff Notice Requirements
Gov. Davis has signed into law state layoff notice requirements similar to those in the federal WARN Act—but broader. We’ll explain what you need to know about the new state law, which we’ll call “Cal/WARN.” Federal WARN Coverage The existing federal WARN Act applies to employers with more than 100 workers. And notice under WARN […]
Unmarried and Single Americans
“National Singles Week” was started by the Buckeye Singles Council in Ohio in the 1980s to celebrate single life and recognize singles and their contributions to society. The week is now widely observed during the third full week of September, which is September 18-24 this year, as “Unmarried and Single Americans Week,” an acknowledgment that […]
Not an Employee, But Still a Harasser
Yesterday’s Advisor presented two training scenarios about sexual harassment. Today, two more, and a look at a unique 10-minutes-at-a-time training system that will help your organization fend off expensive lawsuits. Sarah T. Endures the Teasing The back office at ABC Securities had always been a rough and hectic place to work. Now Sarah T. has […]
Same-Sex Marriage Rulings May Affect Employers in Other States
(Update May 26, 2009 – California Supreme Court rules that same-sex marriage ban — Proposition 8 — passed by voters in November 2008 is legal but 18,000 same-sex marriages performed before the ban was approved are valid.) A recent decision by the California Supreme Court on same-sex marriage may have implications for employers in other […]
Combat-Ready HR: SPHR-Certified Colonel Shares Tips
By Robert BowenJust My E-pinion Today’s guest columnist, an SPHR-certified former lieutenant colonel, shares how he’s learned to make good use of “command” and “compassionate” people strategies. Robert Bowen, SPHR, Lt. Col. (Ret.), is the HR career coach at HumanResourcesCoaching.com. As human resources professionals, we often find ourselves “switching hats” between two distinct day-to-day roles: […]
What’s Penn State Mean for HR? More Harassment Cases
Special from the Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, Las Vegas The unfortunate revelations of alleged sexual misconduct at Penn State and other schools will have one clear effect for HR, says attorney Mark Schickman: You’re going to see an uptick in harassment charges. Sexual harassment charges had been declining somewhat, but the recent publicity will reverse […]
Employee Leaves: What Should I Do When Managers Don’t Want to Reinstate Employees Who Went Out on FMLA/CFRA Leave?
We’re having problems with people coming back from FMLA/CFRA leave. Two particular situations worry us. In one case, the manager says, “I’ve redistributed the work and there’s no job anymore.” And in the other, the manager says, “We’ve hired a temp who is much better—we don’t want the person back.” Don’t we still have to […]
Supreme Court Sets High Bar for Class Certification
by Brad Williams, Holland & Hart LLP The U.S. Supreme Court’s Dukes v. Wal-Mart decision is enormously consequential for employers, particularly those facing “bet-the-company” class actions involving allegations of widespread discrimination. In essence, the Court answered a number of outstanding procedural and interpretive questions involving the federal class-action device in such a way as to […]
Wal-Mart Allowed to Close Unionized Store: Supreme Court of Canada
By Marc Ouellet and Louise Béchamp On November 27, 2009, in two cases involving Wal-Mart (Plourde v. Wal-Mart Canada Corp. and Desbiens v. Wal-Mart Canada Corp.), the Supreme Court of Canada rendered its much-awaited decision on an employer’s right to close operations for alleged antiunion reasons. The Supreme Court decisions rule that Wal-Mart could close […]