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Ag-Mart settles with parents in insecticide lawsuit

04/14/2008
Ag-Mart Produce, a Plant City-based tomato grower, has settled a lawsuit with a farm-working couple whose baby was born without limbs. The settlement terms were undisclosed. Francisca Herrera and Abraham Candelario testified that they worked in Ag-Mart fields in Florida and North Carolina in 2004 …

House passes bill allowing guns in workplace parking lots

04/14/2008
The Florida House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting employers from banning guns from their properties. HB 503 guarantees employees the right to keep legally owned guns locked inside their cars as long as they have permits to carry concealed weapons …

Get ahead of the curve by offering anti-Gay bias training

04/14/2008
Even though Florida’s Civil Rights Act does not outlaw sexual orientation bias, employers must still comply with local ordinances that do. And employers also should prepare to comply with potential changes in federal laws. Incorporating anti-gay bias training into your regular anti-discrimination training carries a number of benefits …

And you thought the prisoners were crabby before

04/10/2008
The Michigan State Department of Corrections has announced plans to ban smoking by prisoners and staff early next year. About 70% of the state’s more than 50,000 prisoners are smokers …

Top 5 mistakes employers make and how to avoid them

04/10/2008

Poor communications with employees isn’t just bad for business. It also creates a work environment that’s ripe for legal trouble. Stay out of the courtroom by taking time to explain your actions and make the workplace seem rational to employees. Here’s how.

Make common sense the driving force of your business

04/10/2008
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Michigan House approves doubling of worker retraining funds

04/10/2008
The Michigan House of Representatives has approved a plan to add $40 million to Michigan’s worker retraining program, known as “No Worker Left Behind.” Gov. Jennifer Granholm pushed for the funding, which now heads to the state Senate …

Consistently applied blanket-Leave limits don’t violate FMLA

04/09/2008
If you’re having absenteeism problems, consider instituting a policy that says an employee who exceeds an absence threshold will be automatically terminated—regardless of the reason. Such a policy can cover absences relating to personal or vacation leave, time off covered by workers’ comp and even FMLA leave …

Computer policy should allow some personal use

04/08/2008
You can punish employees who abuse computer use as long as you do so consistently. But recognize that some abuses are obviously worse than others. Someone who spends company time bidding on eBay may be due a reprimand. But someone who forwards risqué or racist jokes should receive more severe discipline, up to and including discharge …

Discharged for moonlighting? Former employee may not be eligible for unemployment

04/08/2008
If you discharge an employee who has been moonlighting, and he or she continues to work on the side, the moonlighting income may make the former employee ineligible for unemployment compensation …