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Employment Law

FMLA users can shop around for favorable medical opinion

05/01/2006

When an employee shows you a medical certification that says she has a serious condition qualifying her for FMLA leave, you don’t have to blindly accept the doctor’s word. You can ask for a second opinion. But here’s what many employers don’t realize: Employees can do the same thing …

Heed the Legal Risks of Employee Weight-Loss Programs

05/01/2006

Forcing your well-meaning health-improvement plan could backfire. Discrimination and privacy issues could derail your goal. Immunize your program against potential legal ills using these five tips …

Part of Sarbanes-Oxley law applies to all employers

05/01/2006

Q. I work for a nonprofit social service organization. Do such organizations have to comply with SOX rules? —J.M., New Jersey

Can you search employee lockers, purses, desks?

05/01/2006

Q. Can we open an employee’s personal things, like her locker, purse or desk drawer, if we suspect her of stealing? —A.G., Connecticut

4 employment law lessons from the courts

05/01/2006
Supervisors can learn a lot from others’ mistakes, particularly when it comes to employment law issues. Here are four recent court decisions that provide lessons on how supervisors can keep their organizations (and themselves) out of legal hot water.

Do you need a music policy for the ‘iPod generation’?

05/01/2006

The advent of MP3 players, satellite radio and Internet-based music makes it easy to rock and roll at work. Such distractions can reduce employee productivity and even create create legal risks. Establish a music/noise policy before it becomes a problem …

EEOC action spurs longer recordkeeping

04/01/2006

If you think that you can forget about a discrimination dispute just because the employee doesn’t file an EEOC complaint within the allotted time, you may be in for a surprise. As a new court ruling shows, the EEOC can sue your organization years, or even decades, after the alleged discrimination took place …

Clarify reasons for differences in employees’ pay

04/01/2006

When it comes to compensation systems, KISS is the rule. If you keep your pay system simple, you’re less likely to have to explain yourself in court, as the following case shows …

Beware Discrimination Risks of Promoting ‘Acting’ Supervisors

04/01/2006

Although it may be tempting to let unproven employees "try out" a promotion to see if they’ll work out, be careful of the hidden legal risks. If you treat the acting supervisor differently than other promoted employees, you could end up on the wrong end of a discrimination suit …

It’s your duty, not just workers,’ to suggest accommodation ideas

04/01/2006

When a disabled employee requests accommodation to help him or her perform the job’s essential functions, don’t just knock the ball back into the employee’s court by saying, "What do you want us to do?" It’s up to you to actively help look for solutions …