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Compensation & Benefits

Don’t Treat Disciplinary Suspensions as ‘Admin Leave’

10/01/2003

Q. We recently sent an employee home for not following his supervisor’s instructions. Do we have an obligation to pay him for the full day regardless? How should we handle this situation in the future? Is this considered administrative leave? —D.M., California

Unionized or not, beware of ‘unfair labor practices’

10/01/2003
Issue: Punishing workers for protesting work conditions could constitute “unfair labor practices”, even if your work force isn’t unionized.
Risk: Defending an NLRA claim …

EEOC proposes age-bias exemption for retiree health plans

09/01/2003
In an effort to stem the tide of companies discontinuing health benefits to retirees, the EEOC has proposed ex-empting retiree health plans from the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).
…

Use telecommuters? Defuse 5 main lawsuit threats

09/01/2003
Telecommuting is popular with employers and employees. Com-panies with telecommuting programs can realize productivity gains, im-proved morale …

Don’t use weight as an excuse not to hire, no matter the cost

09/01/2003
Issue: Overweight employees cost you more in health care costs, and new research proves it. But you can’t discriminate against them.
Risk: More courts are saying that obesity is a …

Cut Health Costs by Telling Staff to ‘Take a Hike’

09/01/2003

A Michigan auto supplier, Freudenberg-NOK, launched a Walk for Wellness program that rewards employees for reaching walking and other exercise goals …

Involvement, not psychic ability, is your duty under the ADA

09/01/2003
When it comes to establishing “reasonable accommodations” for disabled employees, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) puts the burden squarely on employees’ shoulders to speak up about their needs for accommodation. …

Too small for FMLA? Think again; you may be an ‘integrated employer’

09/01/2003
If your company has fewer than 50 workers, yet is somehow linked to another employer or location, you may incorrectly believe that you don’t need to comply with …

FMLA doesn’t apply to workers who try to deceive you

09/01/2003
If you discover that one of your employees has either misused or lied about his leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you’re well within your rights to fire …

Incremental vacation time is legal, but not best option

09/01/2003

Q. We have salaried, exempt employees who take increments of vacation time (anywhere from one hour to seven hours at a time) instead of one full day. Is this legal? Or should they take only full-day vacation? —C.D., New Jersey