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New York

Quitting in anticipation of being fired bars benefits

12/08/2014
An employee who quits because he thinks he may be fired isn’t usually eligible for unemployment benefits. If there was still work available, quitting would have been unreasonable.

Beware class action if you pay young men more than experienced women

12/08/2014
Now that every paycheck can become the basis for a new equal pay claim, smart employers are proactive about making sure they base compensation on factors other than sex, age or some combination of those factors.

Respond vigorously to anonymous harassment

12/08/2014

Occasionally, a worker will do something truly stupid: tagging offensive graffiti, posting jokes that aren’t funny or leaving anonymous, bigoted notes. Whatever form it takes, make sure you respond immediately. Show you mean business about stamping out harassment.

Temp to permanent? OK to set standards high

12/08/2014
The temp-to-permanent track can be a win-win for everyone. It’s perfectly fine to establish high standards for making the jump to permanent employment.

Unfair isn’t illegal

12/08/2014
Judges understand the difference between an unfair boss and an illegal practice. They won’t hold you liable for all bad decisions—just the discriminatory ones.

What employers need to know about domestic violence

11/17/2014
Em­­ploy­­ers often struggle with how to react to sensitive and highly personal situations. Here are some of the considerations to weigh when confronted with a domestic violence case involving an employee.

Investigate, separate the parties when employee alleges co-worker harassment

11/17/2014
When an employee claims a co-worker sexually harassed her, employers have to investigate the claim, even if there aren’t any witnesses. Getting to the truth requires a timely investigation, as well as immediately separating the co-workers.

Win discrimination, retaliation lawsuits with patience, careful documentation

11/13/2014
Simply put, documentation is what wins many lawsuits. That’s especially true when more than one supervisor has documented past problems.

Replace Ebola panic with solid plan to deal with epidemics

11/05/2014

The threat of an Ebola outbreak has dominated the news for months. With the possible exceptions of health care-related organizations, it’s unlikely that most employers will ever have to deal with the disease. However, it’s a timely reminder that even relatively common maladies (such as the flu) can wreak havoc on business operations.

What you need to know about New York’s new medical marijuana law

11/05/2014
With the July 2014 enactment of the Compassionate Care Act, New York became the 23rd state to legalize medical marijuana. Employers should become familiar with how the law may affect the workplace.