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Employment Law

Conduct training programs to catch safety problems early

01/05/2009

If your organization operates machinery, chances are there is an industrial accident waiting to happen. Consider holding regular safety meetings where the only purpose is to identify potential dangers.

Don’t mess with the maestro

01/05/2009

Donald Rosenberg is suing The Plain Dealer, claiming he was fired from his beat as classical music critic because he frequently panned the Cleveland Orchestra’s conductor, Franz Welser-Möst.

UT HR official fights for job after newspaper op-ed furor

01/05/2009

Crystal Dixon, former associate vice president of HR at the University of Toledo (UT), has filed a federal lawsuit challenging her termination for writing a newspaper column that conflicted with the university’s values. In April 2008, Dixon wrote an opinion piece defending limits on domestic-partner benefits …

Cincinnati’s Kroger chain to pay $485,000 for sexual harassment

01/05/2009

Fred Meyer Stores in Portland, Ore., owned by Cincinnati-based Kroger Co., agreed to pay $485,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit filed by three women who worked in a store in Oregon City.

State snoopers disciplined for ‘Joe the Plumber’ inquiries

01/05/2009

Three top managers at the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services were suspended without pay for using state databases to spy on Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher of “Joe the Plumber” fame.

More snooping, followed by bill

01/05/2009

Verizon Wireless admitted in November that company employees snuck a peek at the personal cell phone records of President-elect Barack Obama … Amid ongoing spy reports, the Ohio House of Representatives approved a bill in December designed to safeguard taxpayers’ personal data.

Are you prepared to follow the new FMLA regulations?

01/05/2009

On Jan. 16, the U.S. Department of Labor’s new FMLA regulations became effective. The most significant changes were to the regulatory scheme for handling employee leave certifications and medical documentation.

Attendance policies: Control absenteeism without breaking the law

01/05/2009

Regular attendance is a key job function for most of your employees. But while you are free to set and enforce attendance rules, you must also comply with key federal laws, including the FMLA and the ADA …

Must we compensate for travel time?

01/05/2009

Q. I have an employee who has a substantial daily commute—75 miles each way. Do I have to compensate the employee for time spent traveling to and from work?

Do year-end bonuses affect pay status?

01/05/2009

Q. What effect do end-of-year bonus payments have on a nonexempt recipient’s hourly rate of pay?