Tag: Employment law

Video Technology Changing Interviewing Process

When you think about interviewing job candidates, what comes to mind? The interviewee makes sure his clothes are neatly pressed (and free of stains) and that his hair is combed, teeth are brushed, and palms are dry for the inevitable interviewer handshake. Well, today that handshake may never happen. Technology, especially video technology, is radically […]

How Starbucks Saved My Life

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill. Review highlight’s some of the books lessons about how Gates’ perspective changed after he worked “on the other side of the counter.” Gill was a top dog at a big ad firm with lots of “do-re-mi” and perks. […]

Health and Safety Legislative and Regulatory Responses

by Daniel Pugen McCarthy Tetrault Workplace violence has become a hot topic among labor, employment, and health and safety regulators in Canada. Of course, workplace violence is hardly a new phenomenon. Certain workers like police officers have an inherent risk of workplace violence. Also, put enough people in an enclosed area under stressful conditions (i.e., […]

Wage and Hour Compliance Essentials for Employers

by Kara Shea Wage and hour compliance issues are probably the single greatest source of worry (and sleepless nights) for employers, at least those who are reading the headlines. In the last several years, employers around the country have been hit with huge damages awards in wage and hour litigation or have agreed to pay […]

3 Questions Employers Should Ask in Discrimination Cases

In discrimination cases filed under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, first, the employee must establish a prima facie (minimally sufficient) case of discrimination. Once he does that, the burden shifts to the employer to produce evidence that he was rejected or someone else was preferred for a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason. This […]

Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

Here is an interesting one. Earlier this week, the mayor of a small town in Oregon was fired after the town learned that there were pictures on the Internet of their esteemed leader posing in front of a fire truck in a black lace bra and panty set. The photographs were taken before she was […]

What to Do When U.S. National Security, Canadian Employment Laws Clash

by Rachel Ravary McCarthy Tetrault No one can deny that security concerns have taken on monumental proportions in the post-9/11 era. Buzzwords like national security, homeland security, border security, supply chain security, perimeter security, and security threats have become part of our daily vocabulary. National security is also high on the list of priorities of […]

Understanding the Power of Employment Waivers

by Jonathan Hauer Some people are just plain trouble. Take me, for instance. I was born with two left feet and 10 thumbs. I make a bull in a china shop look graceful. I am, if you didn’t catch my oh-so-subtle hints, clumsy. You can tell this just by looking at me — and the […]

When FMLA and Holidays Collide

(Updated Jan. 11, 2010) A case of first impression! While those words may mean little to you, dear readers, rest assured that when the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issues a decision interpreting specific provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for the first time, we leap for joy — especially since […]

The Good, the Bad, and Your Business: Choosing Right When Ethical Dilemmas Pull You Apart

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book The Good, the Bad, and Your Business: Choosing Right When Ethical Dilemmas Pull You Apart by Jeffrey Saglin. Review highlights the books distinction between ethical and legal decisions. If you think that you know exactly what’s right and what’s wrong and that your moral compass doesn’t need […]