Your organization can (and should) establish clear rules for whom employees should contact if they need time off. Those rules can specify one contact person ...
When employees return from FMLA leave, they should be given the same or equivalent position with equivalent benefits. FMLA regulations say that bonuses for "job-related...
Issue: How do you calculate overtime pay for employees who perform two separate jobs at separate hourly rates? Benefit: New Labor Department rulings clarify this...
Favoritism has a long history of not being deemed an illegal workplace act. But under certain circumstances, favoritism that results from an office romance may...
When an employee refuses to carry out an order, supervisors may automatically think such insubordination is worthy of discipline or firing. Not so fast! That initial...
You know that ethnic slurs and name-calling have no place in the workplace. But a new court ruling proves that any kind of ethnic intolerance can be punished. If...
Issue: Many HR professionals believe they've unwittingly approved FMLA leave for fraudulent reasons. Benefit: A new court ruling makes it easier for you to check up on...
Q: I retired earlier this year, but I'm starting a consulting business as a sole proprietor. In my line of work, I'll need to use subcontractors. But won't I be taxed in...
Issue: Courts won't look kindly on employers that OK an employee's FMLA leave but then change their minds. Risk: In such cases, courts could grant FMLA rights even if...
On July 26, 2005, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) celebrated its 15th birthday. Since it’s inception, it has been referred to as the most comprehensive...
Issue: Some courts consider agreements—signed or unsigned—legally binding contracts.Risk: A promise by one of your managers during a phone conversation could...
Good news: Managing employees out on sick leave and spotting FMLA abuse just got easier. As a recent court ruling shows, you can call and check on employees to make ...
When defending an employment lawsuit, be careful about authorizing your attorneys to use exceedingly aggressive tactics. If your lawyer goes overboard, you may end up...
Last year's overtime regulations prompted many retail-industry employers to review their compensation structures. But, as the case below shows, if you're a retailer and...
As if there weren't enough complications when co-workers are paramours, here's another: Those who aren't part of the love affair feel slighted when the bedded ones are...
Don't allow discrimination to continue at your workplace simply because the "discriminator" and "discriminatee" are in the same racial minority. Just as supervisors over...
Issue: Gaining more value from your exit interviews. Risk: Intelligence gathered often falls into a "black hole," so mistakes are repeated and legal land mines are...
THE LAW. The U.S. Labor Depart-ment and each state government require employers to post certain employment-law information that ex-plains employees' rights and...
