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Employment Law

Despite lawsuit fears, should we provide anti-Harassment training?

02/01/2008

Q. Our company is considering providing anti-harassment training to all employees. Some executives are concerned that the training might actually stir up lawsuits. Do you recommend such training? …

Are we required to explain why we discharged an employee?

02/01/2008

Q. My company recently terminated an employee. The employee claims that she is entitled to a letter outlining the reasons for her discharge. Is she correct? If so, how much information must we provide the discharged employee? …

Consider burden on others when accommodating disabilities

02/01/2008

It’s tough balancing the rights of disabled employees and the rest of your staff. It’s great to be able to offer accommodations that allow a disabled worker to stay in the labor force. But you don’t have to go to such extremes that your other employees have to pick up considerable slack left by the accommodation …

Harassment policy should have several ways to complain

02/01/2008

Your organization probably has a sexual harassment policy and provides training on how it works. But does your policy give employees more than one way to lodge a complaint? It should. Here’s why …

Investigation notes, report may prove valuable in court

02/01/2008

How do you handle internal discrimination complaints? If you use an ad hoc process, sometimes taking notes or preparing a report, you may be missing out on an important litigation advantage later. Develop a routine investigation process …

Even employees who suffer no harm can collect top dollar

02/01/2008

Here’s yet another reason to clean up the workplace and make certain it’s free of harassment, graffiti and other evidence of a hostile work environment: Employees can collect hundreds of thousands of dollars in punitive damages even if they weren’t physically or financially harmed by the hostile workplace …

No individual liability under Texas Whistleblower Act or Labor Code

02/01/2008

Good news: Your managers and supervisors aren’t individually liable for violating either the Texas Whistleblower Act or the Texas Labor Code. That means your personal assets aren’t on the line …

Former union treasurer sentenced to prison for embezzlement

02/01/2008

A former treasurer of Local 900 of the Federal Independent Texas Union (FITU) was recently ordered to serve a 21-month prison sentence for embezzling $164,268 in union funds. The FITU represents employees at Lockheed Aerospace Corp. in Fort Worth …

Former Richardson pastor faces sex charges—Again

02/01/2008

Darrell Gilyard, head of 700-member Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL, is in hot water for a second time over charges of sexual misconduct with members of his flock. Gilyard was a rising star at Victory Baptist Church in Richardson, TX …

May we forbid employees to talk about how much they get paid?

02/01/2008
Q. My company has a policy prohibiting all workers from discussing their pay with other employees. Is this legal?