• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Employment Law

Is it true that California law requires us to give employees a way to work sitting down?

09/26/2016
Q. An employee recently complained that I was violating California’s “suitable seating law” by requiring him to stand throughout his shift. Am I required to let my employees sit?

Drywall contractor can’t spackle over FLSA violations

09/26/2016
The U.S. Department of Labor has sued drywall contractor West Coast Drywall & Company in Riverside, Calif., alleging the firm failed to pay its drywall hangers and painters for all the overtime they worked.

Bay Area nursing homes settle over wage violations

09/26/2016
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has settled its lawsuit with two owners of several Bay Area nursing homes.

OK to terminate disabled worker if there is no possible way to accommodate

09/26/2016

You can terminate a disabled individual if you conclude the employee can’t under perform the essential functions of a job with or without accommodations.

Warn managers: Watch your language when discussing any aspect of worker’s pregnancy

09/26/2016
Generally, when the same supervisor who hired someone also made the decision to fire someone, courts apply a concept called the “same-actor theory.” If the employee’s protected characteristic was hidden, the same presumption doesn’t apply.

Tell bosses: No comments about hair, clothing

09/26/2016
You may be among the many employers that have dress and grooming rules. That’s fine as long as you allow for religion, race, disability and other protected statuses that may affect how employees comply with the rules.

Death threat? Yeah, that’s reason to quit

09/26/2016
It goes without saying that you can’t tolerate a supervisor who threatens to kill a subordinate. It’s not good enough to suspend him without pay and then let him come back after a lengthy leave.

Bid to delay DOL overtime changes unlikely to pass

09/22/2016
A group of fiscally conservative House Democrats is pushing legislation to phase in the U.S. Department of Labor’s change to the overtime salary threshold.

Banker wins $3.5 million in sexual orientation suit

09/22/2016
A Steele County, Minn., judge has awarded a banker $3.5 million in damages after a bank holding company ousted him after he revealed he is gay.

COBRA coverage continues even if carrier changes

09/22/2016
Employees who elect to continue their health insurance coverage after a work separation get to maintain that coverage even if the employer switches plans.