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

Employment Law

Despite recent 8th Circuit ruling, stamp out ‘equal-opportunity harassment’ to keep harmony

11/11/2010

Here’s some food for thought: Failing to stop an employee from harassing women and men alike may be legally acceptable, but is probably still ill-advised. An employer that allows such conduct may escape legal liability, but that tolerance may make the workplace unattractive to good employees. Plus, it probably won’t be as productive as it would be with good anti-harassment policies in place.

Divided court may mean trouble for employers

11/11/2010
A decision by a panel of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals may mean changes are coming for employers accused of tolerating racial bias. Two of three judges on the panel concluded that an employer wasn’t liable for a series of co-worker comments that were arguably racist.

Furlough days: Eligible for unemployment?

11/11/2010
Q. Due to budget problems, we plan to furlough our employees for one day per month. Some have asked whether they can collect partial unemployment comp. What should I tell them?

How to Collect Employee Medical Info Under New FMLA Rules

11/10/2010
Login Email Address Password I forgot my password To continue reading this page, become an HR Specialist Premium Plus member today! Your subscription includes: Ask the Attorney: Answers to your HR legal questions Compliance Guidance: Access to 7,000 HR news articles, updated daily, sorted by state State-by-State: Summaries of HR laws in all 50 states […]

HR after the mid-terms: What’s Washington going to do?

11/09/2010
Republicans captured control of the House of Representatives in the mid-term elections, while Democrats retained a slim majority in the Senate. With a Democrat in the White House and a divided Congress, what does that mean for the HR-related issues that have dominated the headlines for the last two years? Here’s our rundown of the likely legislative scenarios.

EEOC issues final GINA regulations

11/09/2010
The EEOC has just issued final regulations implementing the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), the federal law that makes it illegal for employers to use genetic information to make decisions about health insurance and employment. Download the final regs here, and then use them as the basis for reviewing your wellness program and other work processes that might violate GINA.

HR gossip girl: The risk of divulging employees’ secrets

11/09/2010
As an HR professional, you have an open door. And you’re always encouraging employees to ask questions about their benefits. But sometimes, that door needs to be shut … and so should your mouth. As a new lawsuit shows, repeating even the question asked by an employee can trigger a multi-claim lawsuit …

Palm Beach diocese wins grant to fight immigrant bias

11/08/2010
The Catholic Charities Diocese of Palm Beach is one of 13 recipients of U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) grant funds meant to aid victims of immigration discrimination.

Jacksonville gay advocates seek anti-discrimination ordinance

11/08/2010

Jacksonville is the only major metropolitan area in Florida that does not have an ordinance prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation. If gay activists have their way, that will change.

Promptly fixed problem can’t be grounds for legal action

11/08/2010

Managing a workplace isn’t easy and not every assignment or schedule is completely fair. Employees who complain about something that might otherwise be considered an adverse employment action can’t sue if their employer fixes the problem right away.