Many workers routinely skip vacations, handing back to employers more than $21 billion in unused vacation time each year. In fact, vacation is good for...
Q. We recently learned that an employee who drives a company vehicle is stopping on the way home for a few drinks. Should we notify all employees that if they use...
If you’re ever hauled into court to testify in an employment lawsuit against your organization, what you say—and how you say it—can sink your defense...
Do not take employee discretion for granted. Since trade secrets and other proprietary information can make or break the success of your company, you...
A strong workplace search policy can safeguard against employee theft and other wrongdoing, but it must be applied fairly and consistently. To ensure search policies...
There’s no guarantee your employees’ personal devices are as well-protected as company-issued devices. To ensure the safety of employees' smartphones and...
Outback Steakhouse has agreed to pay $1.25 million to Minnesota employees to remedy what servers at the restaurant chain said was an illegal tip-pooling...
It’s not enough to have policies in place that let you win employee lawsuits. You need policies that ensure you don’t wind up in court in the first place....
HR Law 101: Your employee handbook should include statements on these topics: a welcoming letter from the CEO, rules and procedures, your employment policies,...
Q. Almost all our employees carry personal cell phones and seem to be calling or texting during work hours. Can we require them to put their phones in their lockers at...
Jury duty is a necessary and important civic service, and employers must have jury duty policies that delineate how they will handle such service. Both federal and...
Your employees may know how to physically send an email message. But have you ever taught them what should—and, more importantly, should not—be included in...
An employee handbook can be the foundation of employee performance and a shield against lawsuits, or it can be a ticking time bomb that confuses employees and strips...
Q. One of our employees has tattoos on her upper arms. She usually wears long sleeves, but summer is coming. Can we require her to cover the tattoos? We don’t...
It’s expensive to train employees, especially if the job is highly specialized. Smart employers protect their investments by having new employees sign an...
The Supreme Court of Texas has just ruled that arbitration agreements are legally valid and enforceable as long as they are stand-alone contracts—and not part of...
Employees often have legitimate reasons for accusing their employers of retaliation. But sometimes, employees themselves retaliate against a company, either out of...
Sometimes a newly minted supervisor takes the opportunity to settle old scores with former co-workers. That can create liability for the employer. That’s...
The Federal Jury Act makes it clear that employers may not “discharge, threaten to discharge, intimidate, or coerce any permanent employee by reason of such...
