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Q&A

Can termination be a family affair?

11/25/2009

Q. We may soon terminate an employee whose daughter also works here. We’re uncomfortable with her daughter remaining as an employee. Can we legally fire the daughter, as well?

Can we ask about an applicant’s HIV status?

11/25/2009

Q. Is it legal to ask medical questions of applicants—specifically, if they have HIV? Does the law allow any legal exceptions to ask this question of people applying for food-handling positions?

Are we on the hook for seasonal employees’ unemployment compensation claims?

11/25/2009

Q. If our company hires seasonal employees for the holidays and then releases them after the Christmas rush, will we be responsible for any unemployment insurance claims as the workers’ last employer?

How long must we keep unsolicited résumés?

11/24/2009

Q. During these tough economic times we get numerous unsolicited e-mailed résumés from candidates seeking employment. Do we have any obligations to keep these résumés on file?

What are my options? Employee’s on jury duty

11/24/2009

Q. One of my employees was called to jury duty and assigned to a lengthy trial. What are my obligations to this employee? Do I have to grant paid leave? May I permanently replace the employee if I cannot afford to hold the position open?

Is paid ‘paternity leave’ required?

11/24/2009

Q. I run a small company with fewer than 50 employees.  I was recently approached by a male employee requesting “paternity leave.”  Must I provide him paid or unpaid leave upon the birth of his newborn child?

May we pay comp time instead of overtime?

11/23/2009

Q. We are a private employer. Can we avoid paying overtime to our hourly employees by giving them comp time?

Can we require harassment complaints in writing?

11/23/2009

Q. Our new plant manager wants to revise the company’s sexual harassment policy to require all employee complaints to be in writing. Can we do this?

Injured on the way to work: Does our employee have a workers’ comp claim?

11/20/2009

Q. One of our employees was hurt while driving a company car on her morning commute to work. Would this be considered a workers’ compensation claim?

Why is workers’ comp telling us when our employee’s FMLA leave should start?

11/20/2009

Q. An employee took FMLA leave Sept. 1 because of job stress. In October, she had an operation for carpal tunnel syndrome. Workers’ comp ruled that her absence was work-related and it dated her workers’ comp claim back to Sept. 3. So, they’re now saying that her FMLA leave won’t start until she is officially released from workers’ comp. Do we need to keep a job open indefinitely for her?