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Employment Law

Still no handbook? Act fast after complaint

04/14/2014

Do you work in an HR department that still hasn’t gotten around to creating an employee handbook? Don’t despair. As long as everyone in HR and management makes sure employees know the company won’t tolerate sexual harassment and encourages immediate reporting of harassment, you can probably escape liability by acting fast on any reports you do receive.

When managers do hands-on work, does that destroy their exempt status?

04/14/2014
Salaried retail managers often have to step in and perform nonmanagement tasks. The fact that they do some of the same work as hourly, rank-and-file staff doesn’t mean they aren’t exempt under the FLSA—as long as they are managing at the same time. In effect, multitasking is just another part of a manager’s job.

Obama orders target pay for contractors’ employees

04/10/2014
President Obama has signed two executive orders that the White House says will promote pay equity for American workers.

No need to tolerate personal woes that spill over to workplace arguments

04/09/2014
When bad romance spills over to the workplace, you don’t have to put up with the aftermath. Set strict rules about behavior and don’t tolerate loud arguments, threats or other disruptions.

Randleman, N.C. police officer indicted for larceny

04/09/2014
Before the Randleman Police Department moved to new facilities last Novem­­ber, Chief Steve Leonard ordered an inventory of the evidence room. The tally found that $7,800 in cash was missing.

ACA: House bill defines full-time work as 40 hours per week

04/09/2014
Legislation passed April 3 by the House of Representatives defines a full-time job as averaging 40 hours per week, up from 30 hours specified in the Affordable Care Act.

ACA: What majority agrees on

04/08/2014
As the Affordable Care Act’s March 31 deadline loomed for individuals to sign up for health insurance, 38% of the public viewed the law favorably and 46% opposed it, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll.

Base pay on job–not title or job description

04/08/2014

To avoid unintentional bias, HR and supervisors must look deeper than job descriptions when setting up pay scales. That’s why it’s best to regularly reevaluate your job descriptions and match them to actual job tasks and duties.

EEOC issues new guidance on religious garb and grooming

04/08/2014
In an attempt to clarify employers’ rights and responsibilities under Title VII’s prohibition against religious discrimination, the EEOC has issued a new guidance document regarding religious clothing and grooming in the workplace.

What are the rules for intermittent FMLA leave?

04/07/2014
Q. One of our employees has requested to take leave from work periodically to receive treatment for a medical condition. Are we obligated to allow the employee to take leave intermittently?