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Employee Relations

High court: Weingarten rights stand; state family leave case on docket

08/01/2002
It’s official: Employees have the right, even in nonunion workplaces, to bring a co-worker as a witness to an investigative meeting that could result in discipline. Nonunion employees won …

Include temp workers in anti-harassment policy

07/01/2002
Nearly 70 women who worked as temporary on-site telemarketers at a Chicago car dealership filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court, claiming widespread sexual harassment by the dealership’s management. Most of …

Give employees fair shot to verify leave

06/01/2002
Alex Jiminez frequently missed work due to flare-ups of Crohn’s disease. His employer’s absentee policy required progressive warnings and eventual management review after 80 hours of absences. The company reminded …

You can provide benefit plan documents electronically

06/01/2002
New Labor Department rules say employers can use electronic means to give employees benefits information, like summary plan descriptions, individual benefit statements and COBRA notices. The rules even allow more options, …

Avoid Liability for ‘Porn Spam’

06/01/2002

Q. Some of our employees have been getting a lot of spam e-mail that advertises porn sites. I’m concerned that an employee will consider this junk as creating a hostile work environment. What can we do to protect ourselves? —M.C., Minnesota

Mean-spirited office pranks carry heavy price

06/01/2002
When a manager at an auto body shop went to the restroom, two fellow employees picked the lock, entered and took a photograph of him while urinating. They distributed the picture …

Working miracles isn’t part of accommodation process

06/01/2002
Louis Cosme applied for a promotion at the Postal Service even though he knew it would require him to work on some Saturdays, the day that he observed the Sabbath through …

Need incentive to brush up anti-discrimination policy? Here it is

06/01/2002
In April, six female employees of a grocery chain won a record $30.6 million from a California jury in a sexual harassment lawsuit, far larger than any previous verdict in an …

React fast, firmly to harassment; courts will reward your judgment

05/01/2002
A political cover-up usually gets people in bigger trouble than the crime itself. The same is true in the workplace. Trying to sweep employee misbehavior under the rug will only dig …

Driving while dialing: Set policy to limit car-phone liability

05/01/2002
Many companies have policies regarding telephone calls at work. But these policies often fall short of including the use of phones and other wireless devices for business while driving. Don’t let …