HR Management

Off-Duty Parties Sometimes Carry Liability

12/01/2001

Q. A recent sexual harassment complaint reported the conduct of management employees at a private party. The party was outside the normal workday and wasn’t sponsored by the company. What is the company’s liability? —W.S., Wisconsin

Morale, Not Law, Dictates Social Obligations

12/01/2001

Q. We’ve traditionally sponsored a holiday cruise for our Virginia employees (mainly executives and directors). But the cost will be prohibitive if we include our newest employees, who are spread across three neighboring states. Can we sponsor different events for staff in each geographical area? —W.S., Virginia

Beware legal traps of hiring online reference checkers

12/01/2001

Since Sept. 11, security fears have sent companies scurrying to do criminal background checks on job applicants. Many companies are outsourcing this function to Web-based reference checkers. But beware: Some …

Build a firewall against Internet, e-mail liabilities

12/01/2001

Whether you have a work force of three or 3,000, any time you let a worker use your e-mail or Internet service, you’re putting your company at risk for lawsuits and …

Prepare for new injury, illness recordkeeping rules in 2002

12/01/2001

Get familiar now with new rules for tracking workplace injuries and illnesses that take effect Jan. 1, 2002. The new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations add and subtract …

Defend against being sued personally for your mistakes

12/01/2001

Issue: In addition to suing the organization, employees may go after you personally in court.
Risk: Certain federal employment laws allow employees to sue their individual managers and HR reps, …

Liability doesn’t stop at company door

12/01/2001

The president of Windermere Relocation Services really wanted to win the Starbucks account. He told Maureen Little, the firm’s top corporate services manager, that he wanted to “do whatever it takes …

React quickly to employee threats; don’t be wedded to discipline policy

12/01/2001

The Illinois toll authority settled Robert Merheb’s discrimination charge by giving him a new job. The agreement also said that if Merheb committed any infraction, the employer would follow its progressive …

You can correct FMLA mistakes

12/01/2001

In golf, they call it a mulligan. Kids call it a “do-over.” And in the world of Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) administration, it can be legal to do an …

Filing suit to protect trade secrets won’t kill your arbitration rights

12/01/2001

MicroStrategy put the head of its HR department, Betty Lauricia, on paid leave soon after she filed a discrimination claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Lauricia had an arbitration …