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Employment Law

Does your organization use volunteers or interns? Know the employment law implications

05/28/2008

This is the time of year when college students start serving summer internships. Often, students offer to work without pay just to get the experience. But does this influx of possible free labor carry hidden risks? Perhaps …

Public employee free speech: Only statements of ‘Public concern’ protected

05/28/2008
The U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment protects public employees from being fired for engaging in some forms of free speech—but that protection is quite limited. For example, the right to free speech doesn’t mean that public employers can’t sack employees who maintain explicit or offensive web pages …

‘Exception’ could let church off hook in race discrimination case

05/28/2008
A magistrate has recommended that a federal judge dismiss a race discrimination lawsuit brought by the Rev. Derrick Gomez against the North Carolina Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America … 

Discrimination claims are up in North Carolina

05/28/2008
North Carolinians filed 15% more discrimination complaints in 2007 than they did in 2006, according to the director of the EEOC’s Charlotte office …

Bash away!

05/28/2008
The North Carolina Office of State Personnel has removed from its web site an online copy of its personnel handbook, which included a ban on anti-gay discrimination …

Ante up! Former sheriff guilty of video poker extortion conspiracy

05/28/2008
In May, a federal jury in Asheville found former Buncombe County Sheriff Bobby Medford guilty of money laundering, conspiracy and extortion following charges that Medford squeezed “protection” money from operators of illegal video poker machines …

Letter carrier preferred not to

05/28/2008
U.S. Postal Service (USPS) investigators have discovered 100,000 pieces of undelivered mail at an Apex postal worker’s home. The mail, which was stacked on the letter carrier’s back deck, dated back as far as six years …

What does N.C.’s civil rights act provide?

05/28/2008
Q. Does North Carolina have a state civil rights act that applies to private employers? …

Follow These 5 Rules for Documenting HR Decision-Making

05/27/2008
The best way to prevent lawsuits or to get a quick dismissal of unfounded charges is to document every employment decision carefully. Following these five simple rules can convince judges and juries that your HR decision-making is legit, above board and fully in line with the law.

Good news: Employees have just two years to file sales commission complaints

05/27/2008
It could have been the case that employer nightmares are made of—but the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals saved the day. Interpreting Indiana law, the federal court ruled that employees have just two years to sue over disputed sales commissions, not the 10 years a former employee argued for …