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Labor Relations / Unions

Direct deposit requires employee’s written consent

05/01/2007

Q. We have been told by our accounting office that the company could save a great deal of money if it could get away from the payroll practice of providing employees with checks, and instead go to a direct-deposit arrangement. We have both a non-union work force and a small group in a union. Can we go ahead and implement such a change, or negotiate a change with the union?—M.B.

Casino workers organize, joining United Auto Workers

05/01/2007

Dealers at Caesars Atlantic City voted to join the United Auto Workers (UAW) Union on March 19, followed closely by Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino dealers on April 1 …

Preserve records or face jury’s wrath on overtime pay

04/01/2007

If you get wind of a possible lawsuit over unpaid overtime, make sure all your payroll records remain intact and available. Don’t crank up the shredder. If you dispose of related documents, the penalties under Ohio law can be especially harsh …

Unions say ALL workers should eligible for state minimum wage

04/01/2007

The AFL-CIO is working to overturn provisions of Ohio House bill 690, which excludes farm, home health care and amusement park workers from the state’s recent minimum wage increase …

Can we offer wage hike to head off union campaign?

04/01/2007

Q. We are a nonunion company and obviously would like to stay that way. We gave a very modest wage increase six months ago, and we just learned that another company in the same industrial park got hit with a union organizing campaign. I think we should be proactive. Normally we review wages every 12 months, but I want to recommend to my management team that we break that cycle and do a wage increase now. Can we get in any trouble by going ahead with a wage increase now, even though it’s not in keeping with our regular practice? —C.O.

Employees at Harley-Davidson’s York Facility End Two-Week Strike

04/01/2007

Management and union employees at Harley-Davidson’s York manufacturing plant last month settled a two-week walkout …

What should you do if an employee gets arrested?

04/01/2007

It’s Monday morning, the coffee has yet to be brewed and already a huge problem has dropped onto your desk. An employee left a voice mail saying he has been arrested. He doesn’t say what happened, but the very next message is from a local newspaper reporter asking for details about the employee’s work history …

Can we ban dating among co-workers?

04/01/2007

Q. We recently defended a workplace harassment lawsuit against our company involving two co-workers who broke up. To avoid future problems, can we impose prohibitions against co-workers dating to avoid future problems? …

Punishing a worker for personal blog post

04/01/2007

Q. One of my staff showed me an Internet link to another employee’s personal blog, which included racial and offensive comments about our company and employees. Can we reprimand the employee for the racial slurs?

Union ‘Check Card’ bill likely won’t become law

04/01/2007

We saw much hand-wringing among business groups on Capitol Hill last month after the U.S. House of Representatives voted 241-185 to grease the skids for union organizers …