Tag: hiring

Can I ask that question on a job application?

by Toni Everton An increasing number of unsuccessful job applicants are filing discrimination charges, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state enforcement agencies are taking a close look at job applications for evidence of unlawful bias. So the question is, what can you ask on a job application? This article doesn’t contain an […]

ADA Compliance Can Entail Accommodating Seasonal Affective Disorder

Under the new, broader definition of “disability” implemented by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, employers must be more vigilant than ever in accommodating workers with a wide range of impairments. This includes depression-related conditions such as seasonal affective disorder, according to the Job Accommodation Network. Seasonal Affective Disorder as a Disability Seasonal affective […]

Can Individual Managers Be Held Liable for Wrongful Discharge? The Answer May Surprise You

By Jonathan Mook Virtually all states recognize a common law tort claim of wrongful discharge in violation of a state’s established public policy. In most instances, a lawsuit alleging such a claim is brought solely against the plaintiff’s former employer. But may a suit be brought not only against the employer, but also against the […]

Questions and Answers on Reform’s Transitional Reinsurance Fee

Employers are understandably nervous about the transitional reinsurance fee, which health insurers and employer health plans must pay from 2014 through 2016. The fee will be collected by HHS, even though the states will tailor their own risk adjustment programs. It must be paid annually. Plans will probably make their first payment for 2014 a […]

Key Wage-and-hour Language to Have in Your Employee Handbook

To prevent the consequences from imprecise employee handbook language,  employers should regularly review their handbooks and written policies. Since wage and hour lawsuits make up a significant part of  litigation, W&H provisions can make a difference as you draft or review your employee handbook. Wage-and-hour related provisions should include pay details, safe harbor and state […]

H-1B visa deadline looms

by Elaine Young Employers wanting to hire foreign workers through the H-1B visa program need to be ready to file petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on April 1. U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields. The first […]

Court Rejects EEOC Guidance on Employee Alcohol Testing

An employer’s random alcohol testing of probationary employees did not violate the Americans with Disabilities Act, despite federal agency guidance to the contrary, a federal district court has ruled (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. United States Steel Corp., No. 10–12 (W.D. Penn. Feb. 20, 2013)). EEOC sued on behalf of a class of employees, arguing […]

Can We Hire a Foreign Exchange Student as an Intern?

We are an accounting firm that frequently hires area college students to intern for short periods throughout the year. We recently received a few outstanding applications from foreign students attending the local college.  Can we hire foreign students as interns? The short answer is that yes, foreign students are eligible for paid employment off campus, […]