Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Connor Beatty Sometimes an employee who isn’t making the grade may blame his lackluster performance on the side effects of certain medication he’s taking. Although managers may express some skepticism about that excuse, there are times when a cause-and-effect relationship might exist. That appears to have been the case for a Maine lawyer whose […]
by Brian J. Kurtz Is it technically race discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 if you terminate an Assyrian employee because you think he is an Arab? An Illinois district court recently faced that question. Less than courteous Afram Boutros, an Assyrian of Lebanese descent, went to work for […]
Because 401(k)s are such an important benefit, employees are likely to have many questions about how the plan works and how they can make their money grow. Your supervisors should be able to field basic questions about your 401(k) plan and help employees learn what they need to know to make informed investment choices and […]
Today’s Advisor contains answers from our “Ask the Expert” feature on HR.BLR.com.. The question is, “Is it permissible to exclude employees from training if they are expected to retire soon?” Here is how our expert responded: Especially in light of the economy, it is understandable that an employer would want to invest its training dollars […]
December is often a time for office parties, gift exchanges, and general holiday cheer in the workplace, but the season also can bring claims of discrimination and harassment if employers aren’t mindful of a religiously diverse workforce. Legal hazards come in many forms. For example, non-Christians may feel discriminated against or harassed by all the […]
by Anders Lindberg The I-9 process of verifying an employee’s identity and employment authorization can be, as W.C. Fields put it, “fraught with eminent peril.” Failure to comply with documentation, verification, and discrimination laws can result in stiff fines and penalties. And recent settlement agreements between employers and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicate […]
by Harold Pinkley From the time I began practicing employment law (too many) years ago―and probably for longer than that―employment lawyers have been quite comfortable advising clients that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (the federal law that prohibits discrimination based on gender and other protected status) does not cover sexual orientation. Many […]
by Elizabeth Bradley On August 27, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) announced a final rule intended to promote the hiring and employment of people with disabilities by federal government contractors. The rule makes changes to the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which […]
by Brinton M. Wilkins Philosophers argue endlessly about “Truth” with a capital “T,” but most people will likely never comprehend that kind of “truth.” Rather, we all view and interpret the world and our experiences through a complex set of lenses that we spend a lifetime creating, both consciously and subconsciously. As Oscar Wilde summed […]
The hiring process can be challenging for employers and jobseekers alike. Employers struggle to match their needs to the skills and experience of applicants. Jobseekers struggle to make employers understand why they’re right for the job. That dual struggle gets even more complicated when a criminal conviction is added to the picture. According to figures […]