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Compensation & Benefits

Employers Feeling More Resistance Than Ever to Relocation Offers

06/20/2008
Employee transfers have always somewhat of a hard sell for employers. But making a move in the current housing market is fraught with peril for all parties.

Providing extra leave after FMLA? You can set the rules

06/17/2008
If your organization is generous about extending leave beyond the 12 weeks of unpaid time off the FMLA mandates, take heart. You can and should set whatever requirements you deem reasonable for taking that extra leave. The best part: According to a recent 11th Circuit decision, you don’t have to abide by the FMLA’s reinstatement rules if employees have already used up their protected FMLA leave …

Don’t let tardiness influence FMLA leave

06/17/2008
Ann Weichman, an account underwriter at Chubb, was a pain to supervise because she was so frequently late for work. Then, a few days after Weichman took FMLA leave, she was late for nonmedical reasons. The company had had enough and fired her. She sued for retaliation and interference with her FMLA rights …

The ins and outs of employing minors

06/17/2008
Q. Now that summer is here, we have received applications from students under the age of 18 seeking seasonal employment with our company. Are there any requirements or restrictions that we need to be aware of before we hire a minor? …

Fieger acquitted of reimbursing—Er, paying bonuses

06/12/2008
“Everything is permitted unless it’s specifically prohibited,” Geoffrey Fieger told a Detroit federal jury, denying that he took advantage of a loophole in the law when he reimbursed employees for campaign contributions. “That’s what a lot of lawyers do—look for what’s permitted,” he said …

Employee filed for workers’ comp? Careful with layoff

06/12/2008
If your organization plans to lay off employees, make sure you don’t target anyone for a furlough because of a workers’ comp claim or prior injury. That’s why it’s a good idea for someone in HR to audit the layoff list for any apparent retaliation …

Michigan ranks first in stress

06/12/2008
Michigan ranked No. 1 for economic stress in a test compiled by the Campaign for America’s Future (CAF). The CAF “Stress Test” assessed the condition of jobs, housing, health care and household costs on a state-by-state basis over the past eight years …

House passes off-Duty activities bill

06/12/2008
In a vote split along party lines, the Michigan House of Representatives passed legislation that would prohibit employers from firing or refusing to hire workers because they engage in legal off-duty activities such as smoking …

You don’t have to ask for FMLA certification for every absence

06/12/2008
Balancing business needs against employees’ legitimate FMLA rights is one of the hardest parts of managing absenteeism. Now there’s one less thing to worry about. A new case makes it clear that you don’t have to request an FMLA certification every time an employee calls in sick …

Does the Pregnancy Discrimination Act grant additional maternity leave?

06/12/2008
Q. We granted an employee maternity leave following the birth of her child—12 weeks of leave in accordance with the FMLA. Other than the FMLA, our company has no past practice or policy of granting leave (paid or unpaid) to employees except for their own medical conditions. Our employee claims that we will be discriminating against her because of her pregnancy and status as a new mother if we do not grant her additional leave time. I am aware of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. Does it require us to grant our employee additional leave to care for her newborn? …