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

Employment Law

Beware lawsuits from outspoken employees

04/25/2011

Public employees—people working for government agencies and state colleges and universities—don’t lose their right to free speech just because they work for the government. Discriminating against them because of what they say or believe may be seen as “viewpoint discrimination.” And that can mean lawsuits.

Take hard line on workplace violence threats

04/25/2011

Some employees think nothing of threatening their co-workers. Most employers disagree and aggressively move to stop such harassment. Courts are on the employers’ side: They’ll seldom second-guess a decision to fire the culprit.

What rights do employees on military leave have?

04/25/2011
Q. Several of our employees are in the Army Reserve or are on long-term leave due to military deployment. What rules apply?

What is ‘cat’s paw’ liability?

04/25/2011
Q. I’ve been hearing a new term lately: “cat’s paw” lia­bil­ity. What is it, and why should I be worried about it?

What are the basics of retaliation liability?

04/25/2011
Q. We keep hearing that retaliation can be a bigger lawsuit worry for employers than even discrimination or harassment. What kinds of employment laws impose retaliation liability?

N.J. Supreme Court decides: Can employees take confidential docs?

04/25/2011
Can an employee who wants to prove discrimination take, copy and dis­close company documents? How does that square with the company’s right to protect what it deems to be confidential information? The New Jersey Supreme Court ­recently offered some guidance on this issue in Quinlan v. Curtiss-Wright.

EEOC ticked after tech firm reneges on agreement

04/25/2011
The EEOC is taking aim with both barrels at a Newark IT firm, HD Dimension Corp., after the company allegedly reneged on a conciliation agreement the commission brokered following accusations of discrimination.

NJLAD transgender protections could get first court test

04/25/2011
A man who underwent gender-reassignment treatment is suing his Camden employer in a case that could mark the first test of New Jersey Law Against Discrimination protections for transgender people.

No unemployment after quitting to take job that never happened

04/25/2011
Employees who lose their jobs through no fault of their own are generally en­­titled to unemployment compensation benefits. But if an employee simply re­­­­­­­signs from one job to take a better one that never materializes, he can’t collect.

Return-to-work denial might be retaliation

04/25/2011
Some employers seem to think they can force troublesome employees to give up and quit by making work life miserable. The more likely result: a lawsuit.