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 […]
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 […]
Alcoholism and the ADA in Employment
After the firing of USC coach Steve Sarkisian in October, there was some discussion about whether his termination was lawful because he apparently has a drinking problem. Even if you’re not a football fan, the situation provides an excellent opportunity for employers to learn about alcoholism in the workplace.For those of you who are unfamiliar […]
Carefully Word At-Will Disclaimer
Choose your words wisely, lest they come back to bite you. That’s the message the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seems to be sending with two recent rulings its representatives made on the wording of at-will disclaimers in employee handbooks. The NLRB is an independent federal agency responsible for safeguarding employees’ rights to organize and […]
Employers Must Allow Some Religious Expression at Work
I’m not a football fan, but recent events in the NFL have grabbed even my attention. The latest event took place during the September 29 game between the Kansas City Chiefs and New England Patriots. Chiefs’ safety Husain Abdullah intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown. When he dropped to his knees and […]
How Domestic Violence Affects the Workplace
Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was indicted in March by a grand jury for assaulting his fiancé (now wife). San Francisco 49er defensive end Ray McDonald was arrested on August 31 for felony domestic abuse. Evidently, domestic violence has become a problem in the NFL. Unfortunately, it’s not just a problem there. The Alliance […]
Employer Postings Lead to Lawsuits
If you’re an employer or manager who is being sued by some of your employees, don’t go posting derogatory comments about them on your company website or Facebook page unless you want to get an additional lawsuit. That’s what happened to Coyote Ugly founder and franchise president Liliana Lovell who, in addition to being sued […]
A Recent Court Verdict Should Cause Employers Concern
When employees complain about unlawful acts in the workplace, they are engaging in a protected activity and must not be retaliated against for doing so. Is telling your supervisor to stop harassing you considered to be a protected activity? A recent court case says yes, and this verdict should scare employers silly. Here’s the story […]
