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Employee Relations

Solid policy, prompt responses to bias complaints can prevent lawsuits

10/01/2008

New York state law prohibits discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation. Employers can protect themselves from needless discrimination lawsuits by introducing a robust anti-discrimination policy and a clear and effective process for resolving complaints. Acting fast is the key …

Hempstead Township faces sexual harassment suit

10/01/2008

Two former employees of the Hempstead Sanitation Department have filed a sexual harassment and race discrimination lawsuit claiming their supervisor, Frank Pepe, offered perks and gifts in exchange for sexual favors …

Prayer breaks may be reasonable accommodation

10/01/2008

Gone are the days when employers could accommodate employees’ religious practices by being flexible about who worked Saturdays and Sundays. Today, employers may have to offer additional prayer breaks in the middle of the workday, too …

Critical evaluation isn’t an adverse employment action

10/01/2008

Employees who claim they have been discriminated against because of a protected characteristic such as age or disability have to show that they suffered an adverse employment action. They can’t simply point to a poor performance evaluation.

Employer wins battle to withdraw recognition of struggling union

09/26/2008

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction in North Carolina, recently ruled that an employer could withdraw recognition of a union if it can present “substantial objective evidence” that most employees no longer support the union. The decision gives employers a road map for handling situations where a union has lost the backing of the employees …

REDA provides whistle-blower protection during some internal investigations, too

09/26/2008

Until recently, it was unclear whether reporting unsafe or illegal working conditions to an internal auditor or another responsible party was “protected activity” under the North Carolina Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act (REDA). Now a federal court has decided that REDA may cover internal reports …

Serenex chemist sold pharmaceutical secrets to Chinese

09/26/2008

Serenex, the Durham-based biopharmaceutical company, is due to collect $57.5 million from two Chinese companies and a former Serenex employee who Wake County Superior Court Judge Donald Stephens said conspired to steal trade secrets. But it’s doubtful Serenex will ever collect the money …

Speaking of free rides …

09/26/2008

A report released by a regional accrediting agency showed that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe received a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University even though he earned only 15 of the required 28 credits for the degree …

Self-Audit: Decision Quiz

09/26/2008
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Start new accommodations process if disability worsens

09/26/2008

Some disabilities get worse with time. An accommodation that allows an employee to perform the essential functions of her job today may not work as well in six months or a year. That’s why it’s important for HR to stay on top of the employee’s disabling medical conditions …