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Safety/Health

Legally speaking, sheriff and deputies aren’t county employees

07/25/2008
Gary Edwards, Deputy Deborah Nelson and Deputy Anthony Smith arrived on the scene to find Billy Ray Cook crawling on his stomach in the street. Upon spotting the officers, Cook began yelling, “Please don’t let them shoot me.” Cook strenuously resisted being cuffed and shackled, so the officers shocked him with their Tasers. Unfortunately, this—combined with a massive quantity of cocaine in Cook’s system—killed him …

You could be personally liable for injuries under N.C. workers’ comp law

07/25/2008
On-the-job injuries generally are covered by the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act and the required workers’ compensation insurance. That means employers are not liable for negligence, and that employees receive benefits under the act whether or not their employers were negligent and whether or not the employees were contributorily negligent. But in certain cases the employer and its managers—as well as co-workers—can be liable for certain workplace injuries …

How employers can stick to their guns under the BSEPA

07/21/2008
Georgia’s Business Security and Employee Privacy Act (BSEPA) took effect July 1, 2008. The law expands employees’ rights to transport lawfully registered firearms in their vehicles even if they are traveling to work. The law will not turn the workplace into shooting galleries, but it will limit employers’ rights to search employees’ vehicles …

Are employee assistance programs required?

07/18/2008

Q. I understand that many companies offer employee assistance programs (EAPs) as an added benefit for employees who may have drug or alcohol abuse problems. Are we required by law to do so? …

What you need to know about Florida’s new Guns at Work Law

07/14/2008
Last April, the Florida Legislature passed the Preservation and Protection of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms in Motor Vehicles Act of 2008. Many call it by a much less official name: the Guns at Work Law. The law expands employees’ rights to transport lawfully registered firearms in their vehicles even if they are traveling to work …

Metropolis kicks butts

07/09/2008
The city of Metropolis—Illinois’ adopted home of Superman—has offered to pay its employees $1,000 each if they can give up smoking for one year …

Companies try doctors’ bonuses to reduce employee depression

07/08/2008
A group of Minnesota employers is piloting a pay-for-performance program to combat employee depression. The program is sponsored by the Buyers Health Care Action Group (BHCAG) …

Remind supervisors: You have duty to prevent customer harm

07/07/2008
Employers aren’t just liable for harm that comes to employees while they work. Employers also have to keep customers safe. That duty even includes making sure off-duty employees don’t harm customers if that harm is foreseeable …

Spanish ship workers can sue Owens-Illinois for asbestos

07/07/2008
Fifteen Spanish workers are suing Owens-Illinois, Inc., based in Perrysburg, over asbestos exposure. A New Jersey appellate panel reversed a lower court ruling that dismissed the workers’ suit due to lack of jurisdiction …

Energy firm workers stay fit with scuba

07/03/2008
Oklahoma City is a long way away from the ocean, but Chesapeake Energy Corp. encourages employees to stay healthy by taking scuba diving lessons. The push is part of the company’s “Living Well” program, which pays employees up to $1,000 a year for improving their health through exercise and education …