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1/10/2012
Although most of us look forward to catching our breath and getting back to normal after the action-packed holiday season, the stretch of long, quiet days in late winter can be a bit of a drag. You might not be looking at another paid holiday until Memorial Day, and the excitement of the holidays are all but a distant memory.
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12/7/2011
No, we’re not asking you to step back into the classroom – you can put down your pens, text books and notepads! Instead, take a few moments to test your knowledge of the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and how it affects your business. Your awareness of the following FMLA issues can keep you in compliance and protect you from time-consuming and costly HR mistakes.
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11/8/2011
The workplace can be a dietary disaster. You’re stressed, you’re short on time and your stomach is rumbling like a freight train. So what do you do? You scurry to the nearest breakroom or vending machine and grab a honey bun or salty chips to fill the void. In mere moments, you’ve consumed hundreds of calories, while depriving your body of the nutrients it needs most. Do this enough times and your health and waistline are going to suffer.
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10/5/2011
Ah, Halloween. When we’re kids, we can’t wait to dress up as our favorite action hero or fairytale princess, parade through the neighborhood and collect scads of candy. And although we’re adults now, we’re still kids at heart, looking to capture a bit of that Halloween magic. Perhaps that’s why Halloween is the third most celebrated holiday after Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
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10/5/2011
Last month, we kicked off a three-part series on holiday party planning. We already shared some cost-cutting ideas for holding a festive gathering on a budget. But limited funds might not be your only challenge with end-of-year celebrations.
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9/7/2011
As anticipated, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a final rule requiring most private-sector employees to notify employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by posting a notice.
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6/12/2011
Age discrimination remains deeply embedded and widespread in society and the workplace, even though there’s been a federal law against it since 1967
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4/11/2011
Discrimination, harassment and workplace bullying are all illegal -- and yet employees are still suffering its sting and employers are paying the costs in fines, employee morale, turnover and damaged business reputations
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12/19/2010
Time off to care for a child is available for same-sex couples, under a June 2010 FMLA ruling
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12/3/2009
As an employer or insurer, you may have information about an employee's private genetic medical data or history. Listen and learn about using genetic information in hiring, promotion, firing or offering insurance
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3/20/2009
When you choose to research job candidates using social networking sites, practice extreme caution with the information you find. Regularly review the laws on discrimination to keep your organization out of a legal mess.
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12/18/2008
The new Amendments become effective on January 1, 2009, and make significant changes to the original ADA. Employers must be aware and prepared for the ADA changes that will effect their business in the coming year.
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12/15/2008
President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Amendments act on September 25, 2008, making the first changes to the law since it was established in 1990. The Amendments, that go into effect on January 1, 2009, make significant changes to the law and every employer must be prepared to stay in compliance.
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9/2/2008
With the 2008 election in full swing, politics is on the minds of many employees and their employers. Here are the answers to some of the recent questions that have been posed to G.Neil’s HR employment law experts.
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8/21/2008
Discrimination cases often arise when a company refuses to accommodate a person’s religious beliefs.The law Hendrickson mentioned, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, is the law that bans workplace discrimination
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8/20/2008
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) concerns itself with unfair discrimination only, but does not require you to hire, or keep on the payroll, people unable to perform the job
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8/20/2008
Although pregnancy rates are declining, the number of women filing pregnancy discrimination complaints has risen dramatically, making pregnancy-related claims one of the fastest-growing employment discrimination charges, outpacing sexual harassment and se
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8/20/2008
There's a question-and-answer document on how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to employment rights of persons with cancer
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8/20/2008
A diverse workplace can help you insulate your company against legal liability arising from discrimination lawsuits. But a diverse workplace environment can also help your business reach new markets and improve customer service, too.
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8/20/2008
The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability, and that includes making sure facilities are readily accessible to and usable by disabled individuals
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8/20/2008
The legal status and rights of married and unmarried same-sex partners are being debated in courtrooms across the nation
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8/20/2008
Office bullying can take different forms, and can consist of intimidation, humiliation, aggressive behavior, sabotage and verbal abuse
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8/20/2008
Teens might not be aware of the laws and processes in place to help protect them and their coworkers — unless you make a point of educating and informing them.
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8/20/2008
Regulations governing overtime eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establish new criteria for determining whether employees are exempt from federal overtime requirements
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8/20/2008
According to the EEOC, the Americans with Disabilities Act permits an employer to avoid hiring workers with a disability when they pose a direct threat to the health and safety of people in the workplace
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8/19/2008
On some issues related to sexual harassment, the laws have been fairly clear. For example, if an employee is demoted, fired or subjected to an extreme pay cut due to supervisor harassment, the employer is automatically held liable
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8/19/2008
Recent court rulings have made it clear that employers who make “good faith” efforts to eliminate workplace discrimination can, in some cases, avoid punitive-damage awards
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7/31/2007
Most workplace violence is perpetrated by non-employees, such as when an armed robber confronts retail help, the client of human services agency becomes physically abusive, or the spouse of one of your people comes after his or her mate at work
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3/7/2007
Sexual harassment happens—sometimes even when an organization does all it can to prevent it.
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3/7/2007
Yet many companies don’t pay much attention to diversity. Those without diversity programs polled by the Times, in fact, said they were too small to have one or simply didn’t see the need.
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3/7/2007
Same-sex harassment is probably more prevalent than most of us realize. There is some evidence that it is reported less often than male-female harassment
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3/7/2007
Personnel professionals at all levels need to understand applicable laws and comply with them at every stage of the hiring cycle
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3/6/2007
States have various laws under which you may be liable for such acts of violence. At the very least, you could be liable under OSHA’s general requirement that you maintain a safe workplace.
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3/6/2007
Now some businesses are eliminating the "smoke break" and some are going as far as forbidding employees from smoking any time. These actions are stirring debate and lawsuits between companies with concerns about employees' health and workers' rights group
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3/6/2007
Be proactive in advocating wellness programs for dealing with obesity at work. An effective wellness program, she claims, can decrease your medical costs and boost productivity.
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3/6/2007
When it comes to employees needing time off for medical reasons, employers must wade through a “Bermuda Triangle” of legalities. Between the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Workers’ Compensation (WC) laws
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3/6/2007
Although laws prohibiting harassment in the workplace were enacted years ago, employers continue to pay out substantial sums to settle employees’ harassment claims.
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3/5/2007
A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision may make it easier for older workers to sue employers for age discrimination. In Smith v. City of Jackson, Mississippi, the court found that workers over 40 may successfully sue their employers if employment policies a
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3/5/2007
You know the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) from its provision that you fill out an I-9 form whenever you hire. But it includes other provisions that affect you as well. Here are its major components.
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3/5/2007
The Equal Pay Act (EPA) was enacted to ensure that men and women get the same pay for the same work in the same workplace. And unlike other federal discrimination laws, many of which apply only to companies with fifteen or more employees, the EPA covers
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3/5/2007
As an HR professional, there is a good chance you will have to deal with a complaint regarding improper conduct. Not following the proper steps in a timely fashion could spell real trouble for your company in the form of morale issues, bad press or even l
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3/5/2007
Many HR professionals are receiving the Internet Applicant Rule with cautious optimism. The rule may result in a better hiring process for companies, because it forces HR departments to be precise in advertising what the minimum qualifications are.
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3/5/2007
Human life consists of a bunch of deeply flawed people interacting with each other. David P. Gushee’s wry observation certainly applies to relationships at work, especially peer relationships in which exercising power is not an option.
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3/5/2007
At its most basic level, retaliation occurs when an employer penalizes an employee after the employee files a discrimination complaint. From the EEOC’s perspective, retaliation occurs when an employer, employment agency, or labor organization takes an adv
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3/5/2007
There are two significant questions here. The first is whether the company has any legal obligation to intervene and take action to prevent the harassment
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3/5/2007
Employers have an even more demanding task than the majority of us—they are obligated by law to take steps to prohibit unlawful harassment and discrimination against their employees
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3/5/2007
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) projects an increase in the private-sector discrimination charges it will handle in coming years.
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3/5/2007
Mediation and arbitration are two effective ways to resolve employee disputes without resorting to the courts
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3/5/2007
If creating a 360-degree feedback program for performance evaluations has you running around in circles, here are some practical suggestions
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3/5/2007
You owe it to your workers and shareholders to keep harassment and harassers out of the workplace, so know and enforce the laws that define sexual harassment
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3/5/2007
Employers who violate the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) open themselves up to substantial liability so be sure your company's policies are in line with this labor law
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3/5/2007
It's important to have a sound company policy that addresses the problems posed by employee relationships, conflicts of interest, and office romances, without losing your best employees to outdated rules
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3/5/2007
A recent Supreme Court decision on workplace discrimination cases against employers decision reiterates the importance of assuring that all workplace decisions are based on legitimate business reasons and not on employees’ protected characteristics
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3/5/2007
Susan is about to make a big mistake. Here, a decision to “watch the situation and see what happens,” constitutes a failure to take prompt, remedial action in response to a clear complaint of harassment
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3/5/2007
Before launching an investigation yourself, consider two other options hiring a consultant who specializes in such investigations, or hiring an attorney
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3/5/2007
Eliminating discrimination in the workplace based on race and color is a top priority with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Last year, the EEOC resolved 27,411 race discrimination charges and recovered $76.5 million in monetary benefits for ag
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2/27/2007
Did you know that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) specifies interview guidelines and specifically states which terms can be used and which should be avoided
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2/27/2007
“Gossip,” said Joseph Conrad, “is what no one claims to like, but everybody enjoys.” That’s certainly true in the workplace, where rumors can undermine morale, nurture paranoia, damage reputations, and decrease productivity
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2/27/2007
A sampling of ADA-related problems, culled from the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) archives, shows that creative accommodations can cost very little
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2/23/2007
It’s difficult to design an effective program to reduce absences until you truly understand where employee absences are coming from, when they happen most frequently and why they occur
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