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According to a new survey, 48 percent of American employees say they’re paid well for the work they do, but 46 percent disagree. In general, those who felt adequately compensated were age 45 and older, held upper management positions, and worked for the same employer for at least six years. Employees who felt they should […]
Several of our employees have set up a website that is for information relating to our organization. They post all kinds of materials there, including ratings of bosses and departments, complaints, blog-like rants, and so on. And then, as well, they have a calendar, announcements, birthdays, and stuff like that. It’s becoming very popular with […]
Governor Schwarzenegger has signed a new law that will prohibit teen drivers from using cell phones. Come July 1, 2008, the new measure, S.B. 33, will make it illegal for teens under age 18 to use wireless phones or other wireless communication devices while driving, even if a hands-free device is used. Note that this […]
Although employers have received some welcome rulings from the California Supreme Court over the past few weeks, a new decision from the high court squelches a tool some employers had used to prevent class action lawsuits in the wage and hour context. In particular, the court ruled that class arbitration waivers in employment arbitration agreements […]
My question is embarrassing. We have lost an employee’s file. We just can’t find it. We’ve been able to reconstruct the standard HR paperwork like appraisals. But what about the forms and agreements the employee fills out and signs? Should we give them the paperwork all over again to fill out? If they refuse, what […]
In California, employers must provide meal periods to employees at certain intervals. But must employers ensure that employees actually take their meal periods, or is it sufficient to offer the meal break time and leave it up to the employee to decide whether to take it? Unfortunately, there hasn’t been much guidance on these questions […]
Several weeks ago, we reported on a new rule issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) describing the steps an employer must take when it receives a “no-match” letter from DHS or the Social Security Administration. The regulation was slated to go into effect on Sept. 14, 2007.
How an employer responds to an employee complaint or allegations of misconduct can make the difference between promptly and effectively resolving the issue—or stepping into an expensive and protracted legal battle. And whether an internal problem is handled properly often boils down to the investigation process. A thorough and effective investigation can be the critical […]
Because of advances in technology, we now have a lot of information about our employees that we never had before. For example, we know where—exactly where—many of our employees are because of the GPS capabilities of their phones and automobiles. Is it an invasion of privacy to ask questions based on that information, e.g., Why […]