Supervisors may naturally feel more comfortable with employees from one gender or the other. But, as a new court ruling shows, it's important to counsel supervisors...
When training supervisors, stress that they must work harder to prevent workplace intolerance toward employees with physical or mental impairments. Reason: More courts...
Issue: Some supervisors think about FMLA only if an employee explicitly says "I need FMLA leave." Risk: In reality, employees don't need to use the term "FMLA." Failing...
Issue: Can you terminate, or refuse to hire, people based on their impact to your health plan? Risk: Employees have two paths to sue you for such cost-trimming...
Say you have an employee who complains that certain workplace smells make him or her sick. If the employee asks for an accommodation to block out the offending odors,...
When employees take medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you can require them to give you a doctor's certification that confirms the medical...
Don't treat temporary workers like second-class citizens when it comes to complying with employment laws. Contrary to popular belief, your organization isn't protected...
When employees are covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or military-leave laws, you're not allowed to count their legally protected absences in any...
You may think that if an employee subjects both male and female co-workers to the same offensive conduct, employees of neither sex can file a sexual-harassment lawsuit. ...
In what the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) labels a "landmark" settlement, retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is shelling out nearly $50 million to settle...
Issue: Whether employees are considered "disabled" if their ailments can be kept in check by corrective treatments. Risk: Many employers wrongly assume that corrective...
In an effort to shame U.S. companies into keeping jobs in America, the AFL-CIO has launched a Web page that lists 200,000 employers who have moved jobs overseas...
Issue: Employees' right to immediate reinstatement when returning from leave covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Risk: Any delay in returning employees...
If your organization's job application doesn't include a "statement of accuracy," add one fast. In signing, applicants promise they've given complete and accurate...
Issue: You'll soon be allowed to process and store I-9 forms electronically. Benefit: Save time and money on I-9 processing, especially if your organization ...
Issue: When does FMLA leave begin? How soon do you need to notify employees on leave? Benefit: A new court ruling clarifies that those 12 weeks begin with the first ...
You're free to assign employees based on their foreign-language ability. For example, you can assign bilingual Spanish-speaking employees to serve customers who speak...
Federal anti-discrimination law says you must offer reasonable accommodations to employees' "sincerely held religious beliefs or practices," as long as the accommodation...
While you can't base firing decisions on an employee's decision to take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave, that doesn't mean you're powerless to act against...
Issue: How to handle harassing behavior by your organization's top dogs. Risk: Going easy on them will come back to haunt you; courts hold higher-ups to a higher...
