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Policies / Handbooks

Can we prohibit employees from receiving private packages at work?

12/09/2009

Q. Over the holidays, many of our employees received packages at the office. We are worried that this might be a disruption. Should we ban employees from receiving personal packages at work?

Is the U.S. workplace becoming more rude, raunchy?

12/08/2009

Boorish behavior and vulgar words are on the rise in U.S. workplaces. In fact, 38% of women say they’ve heard inappropriate sexual innuendoes and taunts in the workplace—up from 22% the year before. Such behavior can crush morale and increase turnover. Advice: Adopt a civility policy separate from your harassment policy.

Make sure your e-communication policy covers social networks

12/08/2009

The widespread use of blogs and social networking web sites such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter has employers worried about what their employees are keyboarding and texting. Employers must develop electronic communications policies to cope with the new technology.

Orlando shooter showed signs of depression before rampage

12/08/2009

In the weeks leading up to the Nov. 6 shootings at the offices of Reynolds, Smith & Hills in downtown Orlando—where one person was killed and five wounded—alleged gunman Jason Rodriguez had exhibited signs of deep depression, according to relatives.

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.