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Policies / Handbooks

Congress passes new law expanding family medical military leave

12/03/2009

Just when you thought you had implemented all the necessary changes to your family- and military-leave policies, the law has again changed. On Oct. 28, President Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the 2010 fiscal year, which includes provisions that expand the military leave entitlements of the FMLA.

The do’s and don’ts of giving and receiving holiday gifts

12/01/2009

Q. Are there any legal issues regarding employee gift-giving during the holidays? What about giving or getting gifts from vendors?

Holiday parties: 12 tips for making sure liability doesn’t hang over your head

12/01/2009

Every year around this time, the Ghost of Christmas Parties Past comes clanking down the hallway, dragging a chain of liability dread for employers. The biggest nightmare: alcohol-fueled misbehavior and mishaps. Here are 12 tips to ensure that what’s supposed to be the best of times doesn’t turn into the worst of times.

Nursing home plays doctor, will pay for pregnancy bias

12/01/2009

Charlotte-based Lawyers Glen retirement home has agreed to pay $20,000 to settle a pregnancy discrimination complaint brought by one of its nursing aides. When Ashley Wilhelm told her supervisor she was pregnant, she soon found herself working fewer hours. The reduction continued throughout her pregnancy, even though her physician certified she could work full time up until she gave birth.

Texting while driving a no-go for Pennsylvania auditors

11/26/2009

Auditors who work for the Pennsylvania state government are no longer allowed to text while driving. The state’s auditor general, who said the practice is not a problem for auditors in particular, issued the ban because of rising concerns about safety risks.

Your ‘good faith’ goes a long way toward fair religious accommodations

11/24/2009

As the workforce grows more diverse, so do the religious practices that employers may be asked to accommodate.
Consider a policy that clearly sets out how to request time off for religious practices, and establish a mechanism for deciding who gets priority. It may not be possible for everyone to get their desired time off, but as long as you don’t discriminate against a particular religion, reasonable limits are likely to stand up in court.

Do your health assessment questions violate new GINA law?

11/19/2009

It’s time to take a fresh look at the health questionnaires you hand out to employees as part of your wellness program. New federal regulations that prohibit discrimination against people with congenital medical conditions mean you must review health risk assessments to make sure they don’t ask employees to reveal protected information.

H1N1 virus alert: Complying with the ADA during an emergency

11/13/2009

The H1N1 influenza virus has added a note of urgency to the need to understand the ADA’s privacy requirements. Although some of the rules are relaxed in emergencies, employers that use confidential medical information to discriminate against workers will have to answer in court for their actions.

Sample Policy: Violence and Weapons

11/11/2009
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What do we need to do before implementing a drug and alcohol testing program?

11/11/2009

Q. My company wants to begin substance-abuse testing of employees that it suspects are under the influence of drugs or alcohol in the workplace. We already have a drug- and alcohol-free workplace policy. Is there anything else we need to do to allow us to test employees for illegal drugs or alcohol?