Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Over the spring and summer, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was busy cracking down on employers for various pay and disability discrimination violations, in Maryland and California.
It seems that every day the news is full of stories about employees (whether they are NFL players or Hollywood starlets) protesting unfair treatment. Usually, when an employee complains about discrimination, harassment, equal pay, or other work-related topics, he or she is protected from discipline or termination because the conduct is considered “protected activity” under […]
Making good on promises from earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has begun cracking down on what it calls discrimination against U.S. workers who are being passed over in favor of temporary foreign workers. The DOJ recently announced a settlement with Carrillo Farm Labor, LLC, a New Mexico onion farm.
by Jackie VanDerMeulen Organizations’ use of independent contractors (often also referred to as consultants) as opposed to actual employees has grown significantly over the years. This trend comes as no surprise in a changing economy where particular skill sets are required at specific times and where flexibility is a key driver of success. In some […]
Sometimes an employee who is released from service for good cause complains that the real reason for the employer’s decision is retaliation for her attempt to protect the public. “I’m a whistleblower!” the disgruntled former employee proclaims. “Look at all the terrible misconduct the employer was trying to cover up!”
The Kentucky Court of Appeals recently upheld the termination of a nurse who unintentionally disclosed a patient’s confidential health information while she was conducting a procedure.
Employees of a cheese manufacturer decided to break into the food safety business while they were still employed by the company. The employer suspected cheese sabotage when it discovered its food safety and cheese-making manuals in the employees’ workspace and terminated their employment.
Good training has always been important in the workplace, but today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world of work makes training more important than ever. Changing technology requires frequent skill updates for employees at all levels of an organization. And certainly supervisors need training on new laws affecting the workplace and refreshers on old ones. But just […]
by Molly DiBianca Humility is a virtue. For most of us, it doesn’t come easily. Owning up to a mistake at work can be a difficult task, particularly for employees who want to be good at their jobs and please those they report to. Nonetheless, apologizing is a reality of professional life and a recognition […]
The Ohio Supreme Court recently held that an employee was required to honestly answer registration application questions about sealed convictions that were directly and substantially related to his position. Was his failure to disclose the convictions grounds for termination?