Employers and Supervisors Cannot Look the Other Way
Balmeet Singh was allegedly accosted because of his race or religion outside of a Bakersfield restaurant on September 30 and dozens of people reportedly witnessed it and did nothing about it. In her article “Why Don’t We Help? Less is More, at Least When It Comes to Bystanders,” Melissa Burkley Ph.D. said people have a […]
Saying Thanks
Thanksgiving will soon be here; therefore, here’s a bit of information about the practice of giving thanks. Throughout history humankind has celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies. Harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians. In 1621 the Plymouth colonists and the […]
Halloween and Work
More than 37 percent of employees celebrate Halloween with their co-workers, according to a survey conducted by Vault.com. If you are among those employers who will have some type of Halloween celebration at work, here are some things to consider: • Decorate with care. After having decorated a conference room at her Washington D.C. law […]
At-Will Employment
“You’re fired.” Millions of people have watched the television show The Apprentice to hear Donald Trump say those words. Trump fires contestants because they have failed various competitions; however, because California is an at-will employment state, employers may fire an employee for any reason or no reason what-so-ever, right? The answer is “yes” and “no.” […]
Hiring Based on Appearance
“Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president? I mean, she’s a woman, and I’m not s’posedta say bad things, but really folks, come on. Are we serious?” According to Rolling Stone magazine, presidential candidate Donald Trump said all of that about rival Carly […]
Politics and Work
If you’re not an American history enthusiast, you might not know that our current political climate, filled with insults and injuries, is nothing new. In his article, “Donald Trump and the Long History of American Politics Turning Violent,” Matt Taylor recounts how prominent politicians such as Aaron Burr, Alexander Hamilton, and Andrew Jackson “were almost […]
Documentation and Discrimination
We’ve all heard the real estate agent’s mantra, “location, location, location.” Human resource professionals and employment attorneys have a similar mantra, “documentation, documentation, documentation.” Why is documentation important for employers? Numerous discrimination lawsuits demonstrate the reason. In the case of Brockman v. Avaya Inc, a federal trial court allowed a discrimination claim to be determined […]
Employees need to do the Math
I can write a decent sentence, but I’m lousy at math. Does that mean I can successfully sue my employer because, in order to ensure that I’ve been paid properly, I’m required to perform simple addition? According to a recent court case, the answer is a resounding “no.” Employee Isaias Hernandez filed a class action […]
An Ode to the Older Worker
My mom is 72-years-old and still waiting tables at a local restaurant. My dad is 76-years-old and still puts in a few hours every day at the family’s bait and tackle store. Both plan to work until they are physically and/or mentally incapable of doing so. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, my […]
Daring can be Dangerous to Employment Status
If you’re going to dare someone to do something, you don’t get to cry foul if they do it. That’s the lesson a SkinSmart Dermatology employee learned the hard way in the latest example of things that employees post on Facebook that gets them fired. While ranting about her supervisors in a Facebook group message […]
