Massachusetts Requiring Health Insurance Disclosures by November 30
Massachusetts employers with six or more employees must file a Health Insurance Responsibility Disclosure (HIRD) form with the state Department of Revenue (DOR) by November 30.
Tag: Employment law
Nursing Home Should Have Protected Employee from Patient’s Sexual Groping
The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to Louisiana employers) recently provided some guidance on whether an employer has a duty to protect employees from sexual harassment by its customers. In this case, the employer was a nursing care facility, and the “customer” was a mentally impaired patient with whom the employee […]
Gone Are the Days of ‘Maternity’ and ‘Paternity’ Leave
I am often asked to recraft a company’s parental leave policy, usually in response to an employee seeking leave for the impending arrival of a new family member that falls outside the company’s current medical disability policy (e.g., an adoption). The employer wants to be generous and provide adoptive parents the same leave it provides […]
Thanksgiving: A Time to Be Thankful for Good Employees
All too often, the employment law advice that we provide as practitioners focuses on issues that relate to problem employees. You know these folks—they’re the troublemakers, the harassers, the pot-stirrers, the chronically absent, and the habitually tardy. They’re the underperformers, the rule breakers, the constant complainers, the leave abusers, the policy violators, the workplace bullies, […]
Iowa Employers Need to Be Ready for Medical Marijuana
Medical marijuana manufacturers and dispensaries in Iowa must be ready to put their products on sale by December 1, meaning you need to understand the implications of the state’s medical marijuana law on your drug-free-workplace policies.
Contender of Pretender? Identifying Both in Sports and at Work
Contender or Pretender? It’s a recurring segment in sports media, and a fun talking point amongst fans, where the debate is whether a team is “for real,” particularly early in the season. Read on to see how contender or pretender can be applied to employees.
New North Carolina Law Aims to Help Employers Relying On Certificates of Relief
A new North Carolina law offering protections against negligent hiring and retention claims is set to take effect December 1.
5 Tips for Handling Tricky Religious Accommodations
When an employee’s religious beliefs conflict with a workplace policy, you need to consider whether a reasonable accommodation can be made without creating an undue hardship. Many times, religious accommodations present challenging issues for supervisors and HR professionals, but these five tips can help ease the struggle.
Voters in 4 States Weigh in On Medical, Recreational Marijuana
Voters in four states took up the issue of marijuana use when they went to the polls November 6, and the results will have an impact on employers. In two states—Missouri and Utah—voters approved measures to allow medical use of marijuana. Voters in two other states—Michigan and North Dakota—voted on recreational use of marijuana, with […]
Bad Apples 101: Dealing with Difficult Employees
No one becomes an HR professional, a manager, or a business owner with the delusion that it will be all puppies, rainbows, and cotton candy. So why do some leaders shy away from dealing with difficult employees or throw up their hands like there’s no solution? A recent case from the federal district court in […]