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Policies / Handbooks

Defuse the 5 biggest telecommuter legal threats

10/01/2003
Issue: Telecommuters pose unique legal risks, and courts are still figuring out what employers are liable for.
Risk: Complaints and lawsuits over workers’ comp, overtime, discrimination …

Prevent e-mail ‘spamming’ by angry ex-employees

10/01/2003
Issue: A new court ruling makes it more difficult to stop former employees from blitzing your workplace with e-mail messages, including those that criticize …

3 common FMLA mistakes … and how to avoid them

10/01/2003
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave annually for the birth or adoption of a child, their own …

Personnel files: Organize your paper trail to minimize legal risks

10/01/2003

Issue: Maintaining personnel files is a chore, but it’s the most important element in defending lawsuits and regulatory claims. Risk: Failing to organize your files correctly exposes you to civil …

Get tough on horseplay, banter; courts will

09/01/2003
You’ve got a new reason to take a harder line on sexual banter and crude antics in the workplace. One of the most conservative courts of appeal sent a clear message …

Spot check your workplace for offensive material

09/01/2003
The EEOC is suing a Pennsylvania steel plant for condoning sexual harassment by allowing offensive pictures, posters and calendars in the office. The lawsuit claims a shipping clerk and other female …

Workers can’t claim self-defense as reason to ignore anti-violence rule

09/01/2003
As part of your anti-violence policy, include a clearly worded ban on physical and verbal abuse in the workplace, even if it’s in self-defense. Include descriptions …

Dump strict language policy; EEOC cracks down

09/01/2003
If your company requires employees to speak English at all times (even lunch hours and breaks), drop that policy now. Such broad English-only rules violate Title VII.
And even if …

Organize your personnel files to minimize legal risk

09/01/2003

THE LAW. Maintaining personnel files can be a chore, but it’s the most important element in defending against claims from employees, ex-employees and regulators …

Incremental vacation time is legal, but not best option

09/01/2003

Q. We have salaried, exempt employees who take increments of vacation time (anywhere from one hour to seven hours at a time) instead of one full day. Is this legal? Or should they take only full-day vacation? —C.D., New Jersey