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Employment Law

OSHA’s Whistle-Blower Program

02/18/2012

HR Law 101:  OSHA’s special whistle-blower program is designed to protect workers who report employer wrongdoing or dangerous conditions. Under the program, employers may not retaliate or discriminate against workers who file complaints with OSHA …

Are there incentives for hiring vets?

02/15/2012
Q. We are aware of the increasing number of veterans who are returning to the workforce and applying for positions. We are interested in hiring veterans and would like to know if there are any incentives for hiring them.

How did the new law change USERRA?

02/15/2012
Q. How does the recent amendment to the Uniformed Services Employment and Re­em­ploy­­ment Rights Act (USERRA) affect employers?

State Supreme Court affirms business-interest test for noncompetes

02/15/2012
On Dec. 1, 2011, a unanimous Illinois Supreme Court issued its decision in Reliable Fire Equipment Co. v. Arredondo et al., reaffirming that an enforceable noncompete agreement must be supported by a legitimate business interest.

Jackson Park Hospital settles job segregation claim

02/15/2012
A group of 11 black women who worked for South Side Chicago’s Jack­­son Park Hospital will split $80,000, now that the EEOC has brokered an agreement to settle charges that the hospital shunted the women into specific jobs because of their race.

Stolen TV, soiled chair mean 2 trips to court for coroner

02/15/2012
It’s no wonder Kane County Coroner Chuck West decided not to run for re-election this year. In addition to facing criminal charges that he stole a dead man’s television, West is being sued for retaliation by his second-in-command.

Sears pays $100,000 to end discrimination lawsuit

02/15/2012
Sears, Roebuck & Co. has settled an age, race and gender discrimination complaint filed by a former employee in Oklahoma City.

Even after Walmart, some class-actions are legit

02/15/2012
Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a class-action sex discrimination claim brought by thousands of female Walmart employees. Now the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has clarified how far the decision goes in class-action wage-and-hour cases.

Make sure you can justify salary differences

02/15/2012

These days, employees are getting braver about discussing their pay. Part of the reason is that the National Labor Relations Board has done a good job publicizing its stance that discussing pay is concerted activity protected by law. Be prepared for the inevitable lawsuits with solid reasons for all pay decisions.

Handle serial complainer with the same professional skill you use with everyone else

02/15/2012
Handle serial complainers as you do one-time complainers. Investigate the claims, fixing legitimate gripes and rejecting all the rest. If the chronic complainer sues, chances are the court will realize that you’ve been dealing with someone who is habitually crabby.