Tag: Employment law

EEOC, OSHA issue retaliation guidance

by Whitney Brown Earlier this year, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released its Proposed Enforcement Guidance on Retaliation and Related Issues, which follows on the heels of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) November 2015 proposed guidance Protecting Whistleblowers: Recommended Practices for Employers for Preventing and Addressing Retaliation. Here’s an overview of both […]

Pop quiz: Will she be Ripa roaring mad?

by Mark I. Schickman Pop Quiz #1: Your 26-year, highly successful employee Kelly is popular with both employees and your customer base. Five years ago, she successfully inherited the work of an old-time employee, keeping his customers happy and adding more! Four years ago, Michael was hired and assigned to assist her; under her tutelage, […]

ABC, Kelly Ripa, Michael Strahan, and lessons on parting ways with key employees

What Kelly Ripa lacks in size, she makes up for in attitude. At just 5’3″, the petit daytime talk show star measures but a fraction of the size of her former co-host, Michael Strahan, himself a former New York Giants defensive end and Super Bowl champion. But Ripa’s actions since news broke of Strahan’s planned departure from Live! for a […]

Healthcare workers’ longer hours don’t necessarily increase health, safety risks

by Rosalind H. Cooper Most employers know that there are restrictions under employment standards legislation regarding maximum hours of work for their employees. In certain circumstances, it is possible to exceed these daily or weekly maximums. However, care must be exercised when doing so in order to avoid a breach of the employer’s duties under […]

Federal agencies cracking down on gender identity discrimination

As the debate over gender identity discrimination rages within the halls of state and federal governments, employers are left to wonder how the controversy will play out in the workplace. One high-profile aspect of the issue centers on North Carolina’s House Bill 2, which Governor Pat McCrory signed into law on March 23. The law […]

Where’s that Goat?

Wow, is this tough. I really don’t know whether I can get the words out. Still, I know it’s true, so I have to say it—so, here goes . . . no, no . . . wait. OK, take a breath, calm yourself, and just let people know what’s on your mind: The Cubs are […]

Divorce and the unproductive employee

by Kathryn M. Grigg Employees are not the only ones who suffer through a divorce. Employers also bear the cost of an employee’s divorce through absenteeism and reduced productivity. This article addresses some benefits and support programs you can provide at minimal cost to maintain a productive workforce. Costs of divorce The amount of time […]

Sale of business to smaller company doesn’t equal termination

by Olivier Lamoureux A Québec court recently ruled that there was no constructive dismissal arising from the sale of a business to a smaller third-party purchaser for whom a manager refused to work. The Quebec Court of Appeal in the Boulad case (2108805 Ontario inc. c. Boulad, 2016 QCCA 75) overturned a lower court decision […]

Apprenticeship getting more attention as way to bridge the skills gap

It’s a familiar lament coming from employers: They struggle to hire people with the skills they need even when jobseekers line up at their doors. The skills gap has been a worry for years, and employers, educators, workers, and government officials have long touted apprenticeship as at least part of the solution. But the concept […]

What do DOL’s final ‘persuader’ rules mean for employers?

by Kevin C. McCormick On March 23, 2016, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its long-awaited persuader rules, which significantly expand certain reporting requirements for employers and their attorneys. Under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (LMRDA), labor relations consultants hired to influence or persuade employees not to unionize are required […]