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Policies / Handbooks

Termination for excessive absenteeism

04/01/2007

Q. Our handbook states that employees will be terminated if they are absent more than 10 days in 12 consecutive months. An employee has been absent for seven days so far this year, three of which were due to the flu. He called out sick four days ago. When he returns, he will have exceeded the 10-day limit. Can we terminate him?

Let cops search computers; don’t fear a privacy lawsuit

04/01/2007

With all the talk about workplace privacy, remember that your organization, not the employee, owns the computers and the data in them. You needn’t fear a privacy lawsuit if you give permission for law enforcement to read e-mail, search hard drives or access phone numbers on company-owned cell phones …

State may limit your right to ban guns on premises

04/01/2007

 Legislation proposed in at least 10 states would guarantee employees the right to keep registered guns in their cars while at work …

Planning for a pandemic flu: Is your organization prepared?

04/01/2007

After preparing for Y2K, anthrax and hurricanes, HR and legal professionals must now turn their attention to pandemic planning …

Must we pay hourly worker for drive to conference?

04/01/2007

Q. Recently a nonexempt employee left from work to attend a two-day conference. She left at 2:30 p.m. and arrived at the location at 5:00 p.m. I interpret that we should pay for eight hours since her travel was from the work location and within normal work hours. The next day, she left the conference at 4:15 p.m. and arrived back in town at 7 p.m., but she didn’t stop at the office. Since travel time is outside of normal (8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) work hours, is she paid for travel time or just for work hours attending conference? —M.B., Georgia

In handbook, spell out policies on promotions and pay

04/01/2007

When it comes to promotions and wage increases, it pays to spell out for employees exactly how the process works. That way, you’re less likely to lose a failure-to-promote case or a pay-discrimination suit. …

Want to project ‘Younger’ image? Beware age-Bias risks

04/01/2007

If your organization aims to attract a younger, more hip clientele, watch how you convey that idea to employees who don’t fit your target demographic …

N.Y. law firm learns lesson about legal blogging

04/01/2007

It’s probably career suicide for lawyers to sue their own firms, but that’s what Aaron Charney did. And now all of cyberspace knows about it …

Can porn surfing be a ‘disability’? Lessons from the IBM case

04/01/2007

When employees use their work computers for inappropriate purposes, such as scouring the Internet for pornography, interacting with minors for sexual purposes or transmitting pornographic images, they violate the law and put their employers at risk …

To prevent retaliation claim, check back within weeks following employee’s complaint

04/01/2007

Employees who come to HR with discrimination complaints may already have talked to a lawyer. They may be building a case and just waiting for someone to make a mistake. It’s your job to make sure that doesn’t happen …