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Employee Relations

Boss makes employee sick? That’s no disability

01/27/2009

If every employee who got depressed or anxious after receiving a poor performance review or trying to satisfy a demanding boss could sue, the courts would have little time for anything else. That may be one reason that courts have been rejecting ADA cases based on stress and anxiety brought on by work conditions.

Can you discipline workers for their raunchy Facebook postings?

01/21/2009

The Internet has created a whole new pond for employment lawyers to fish in. But you’re not powerless to your employees’ embarrassing—and potentially illegal—online activities. You can discipline employees who go over the line. Here’s a recent example, plus five tips to help you avoid legal trouble …

Tell victims how to report future harassment

01/16/2009

Here’s how to end a co-worker sexual harassment case when your organization decides not to discharge the alleged harasser.

Don’t just be a boss–be a mentor: 4 easy steps

01/13/2009
The best managers aren’t just the ones who can extract the most productivity from their people, but the ones who produce great future managers.  How can you be sure that your best people will someday be top-notch leaders themselves?

Not a union employer? Proposed EFCA could soon change that

01/13/2009

Union-free employers should consider acting now to keep their operations union-free, given the nature of the changes that are likely to come with enactment of the Employee Free Choice Act. The law would make it more difficult for employers to oppose union organizing, and would limit employers’ bargaining power if they do become unionized.

Clamp down on teasing to stop hostile environment suit

01/13/2009

Unless it’s egregious and outrageous (something like a clearly racist epithet or a dangling noose), a one-time derogatory comment likely won’t become the foundation for a hostile environment lawsuit—if you take immediate steps to stop any escalation.

If you’re well enough to steal, you’re well enough to work

01/13/2009

Michael Villafana, a registered nurse at the Highland Pines Nursing Home in Clearwater, Fla., called in sick the day before Thanksgiving. Then he allegedly showed up at work later that day—to rob the place.

USDOJ sues Bonita Springs for racial discrimination

01/13/2009

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against the city of Bonita Springs, claiming it violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act by harboring a racially hostile environment in the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Sarasota whistle-blowers receive $1 million reward from feds

01/13/2009

Carolyn Ferrara, a former office manager for Sarasota dermatologist Michael Rosin, and Ellen Murray, a former patient, received a $1 million reward from the U.S. Department of Justice for their roles in sending Rosin to prison for Medicare fraud.

Court rules DCF employees not immune to lawsuit

01/13/2009

The adoptive parents of three children who were sexually abused in foster care may proceed with their lawsuit against three former Department of Children and Families (DCF) employees, a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.