Tag: ADA

New Affirmative Action Regs Puzzle and Mystify

Some organizations have decided that the new affirmative action regulations will be so burdensome that they are working their way out of contractor status, says attorney David Fortney. “We’re tired of being hassled,” they say, and they are wrapping up their government contracts.

Is Obesity a Disease?

In June 2013, the American Medical Association officially voted to classify obesity as a disease. While this classification doesn’t have legal weight, it provides support for individuals arguing that obesity should be considered a protected ADA disability—which could open the door for discrimination claims. Let’s take a look at the rationale behind this change. Obesity […]

Going Fishing ‘Under Doctor’s Orders’ While on FMLA Leave Gets State Official Fired

A state government official has stepped down after the Better Government Association and news outlets began investigating a long pattern of Family and Medical Leave Act absences that, they said, smelled fishy. Namely, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources deputy director missed more than three months of work, mostly using paid sick time, to fish […]

New resources available on upcoming rules for federal contractors

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has posted new resources on its website to help federal contractors comply with new regulations pertaining to recruiting people with disabilities and veterans. New regulations going into effect March 24 strengthen requirements under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and […]

UPS Attendance Policy Under Fire for Second Time

An automatic termination policy for employees taking more than 12 months of consecutive leave limits the ability of qualified individuals with a disability to return to work and may act as a “qualification standard” that violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal district court has ruled. The ruling by the U.S. District Court for […]

9 Things You MUST NOT Include in Your Documentation

Do not include the following in your documentation, says Wobst: Personal opinions. Rumors or speculation about the employee’s personal life. Theories about why the employee behaves a certain way. (Don’t practice psychiatry without a license.) For example, don’t call an employee “crazy.” Instead, document behaviors. Legal conclusions. (Don’t practice law without a license.) For example, […]

Don’t Make Any of These 10 Mistakes

Most of the money and time companies spend on training is wasted, says John Tschohl, president of Service Quality Institute and author of Achieving Excellence Through Customer Service. That’s because the majority of companies use outdated training ideas and boring training methods. He says that over the years in his work in the training field, […]

Train Employees to Protect Themselves from Identity Theft

Here is an effective Q&A presentation on the basics of identity theft and how employees can protect themselves. What Is Identity Theft? Identity theft is the use of personal information, such as your name, credit card number, Social Security number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. How Can Thieves Access Information? There […]

Train Supervisors to Avoid These 10 Sins

For sins 1 through 6, click here. Sin #7. Not Knowing and Not Enforcing Policies We’re busy now. Talk to me about that harassment business next week. If you think the work’s not safe, you’re free to quit at any time. Nobody in this department can talk about salaries or benefits with other employees or […]

Not ‘Discipline’ … but ‘Opportunity to Improve’

Yesterday, we presented attorney Jathan Janove’s suggestions for dealing with employees who say, “My aberrant behavior was caused by my disability.” Today, we’ll give you more of his tips—plus an introduction to an upcoming California-specific ADA/FEHA training session.