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Hiring

Track contracts for bias against black-Owned firms

04/01/2007

Think you don’t have to worry about race discrimination in hiring contractors? Think again. A little-known section of the federal Civil Rights Act has become a popular vehicle for claims of race discrimination in contracting …

Independent contractor or employee? Your control over duties, schedule is the key

04/01/2007

If your organization hires temporary workers to perform specific tasks for a set fee, don’t assume you automatically can declare them as independent contractors rather than employees …

Ignoring Harassment Policy Can Lead to Double-Trouble

04/01/2007

Texas employees and their attorneys have found a way around the federal caps on damages in sexual-harassment cases. Instead of going to federal court, plaintiffs sue in Texas state courts under the Texas Labor Code and add claims of negligent hiring, retention and supervision …

Georgia economic outlook: partly cloudy, better than nation

04/01/2007

“Georgia will outperform the nation but will not dodge the slowdown” in 2007, according to George Benson, dean of the University of Georgia’s Terry College of Business …

Solidify an independent contractor’s status by proving he turned down employee job offer

04/01/2007

Florida employers don’t have to pay workers’ compensation benefits for their independent contractors. Plus, they aren’t responsible for the on-the-job injuries of such workers. But make sure you keep enough “distance” from those workers so they’ll keep their independent-contractor status …

Boosting productivity makes you a true strategic player

04/01/2007

Execs in your organization constantly look for ways to reduce labor costs and improve work force productivity to keep up with competition. Most likely, those bosses don’t ask your advice … and you don’t give it. To start playing a role in improving productivity, take the following steps …

HR as mobsters: Supreme Court lets workers use organized-Crime law to sue their employers

04/01/2007

The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling that a group of employees at a Georgia carpet company can use state and federal anti-racketeering laws to sue their employer …

Lawmaker pulls bill that would punish employers for illegal hires

04/01/2007

Texas House of Representative member Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) recently withdrew a measure that would have penalized employers that hired undocumented immigrants …

Johnnie Cochran’s law firm takes aim at poultry processors

04/01/2007

The Cochran Firm, founded by the late Johnnie Cochran of O.J. Simpson-defense fame, has set its sights on the poultry-processing industry, filing lawsuits for back wages and other workplace violations …

Remind bosses: Don’t let ‘Soft’ traits sway hiring, firing

04/01/2007

When it comes to hiring and promotions, one of the quickest paths to the courthouse is relying heavily on a person’s subjective qualifications when objective measures point to a better candidate …