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Employment Law

Video résumés failing to catch on: Ahead of their time, or too hot to handle?

09/18/2008

Despite much discussion about their pros, cons and legal implications, video résumés aren’t yet catching fire with employers or employees. CareerBuilder recently discontinued its video résumé service. Recruiters have shown little demand for them …

DOL proposal calls for more disclosure about employers’ 401(k) fees

09/18/2008

New regulations proposed by the DOL would require fiduciaries of 401(k) plans to disclose more information to employees about plan-related fees and investment performance. The goal: Allow employees to “peek behind the curtain” of the fees they pay for their 401(k)s …

‘That head scarf thing’: Insensitive comments spark legal fire

09/18/2008

You’ve hired people of all races and religions, including a woman who wears a head scarf (hijab). But what do you say when that woman seeks a promotion to a more visible position? A few unwise words coupled with foot-dragging on the promotion and you’ll be wrapping your head around a religious discrimination lawsuit …

The HR I.Q. Test: October ’08

09/18/2008

Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz …

Must we pay doctors to fill out FMLA forms?

09/18/2008

Q. Recently, a doctor sent our HR department a bill for completing one of our employees’ FMLA certification forms. Do we have to pay it?

Can we give higher pay to employee with degree?

09/18/2008

Q. Is it illegal to pay someone without a degree less than someone with the degree? In our case, two employees have the same title but do slightly different tasks. One has a bachelor’s in HR and the other does not. However, the one without a degree is doing all the HR duties and gets paid less than the one with a degree. The degreed employee doesn’t use her HR skills in her job at all.

Circulating résumés around the office

09/18/2008

Q. One of our managers who hires for his division has started passing around the résumés of possible candidates to other managers. He wants to get their opinions on the candidates. Does passing along résumés to these people violate any privacy laws?

Unmarried co-workers, childbirth and FMLA leave

09/18/2008

Q. Two of our employees (they aren’t married) are having a child together. I know that spouses who work for the same company have to share the 12 weeks of FMLA leave following the birth of a child. Is that also true for unmarried parents in the same workplace?

Take responsibility for preventing harassment, discrimination

09/18/2008

It isn’t enough to fix discrimination and end harassment when you find out about it. Under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) your organization has a duty to prevent it …

Can we talk? A guide to political expression in the workplace

09/18/2008

The presidential campaign has everyone talking politics, and inevitably a lot of that talking takes place at work. As the campaign season moves toward the general election, many employers are re-examining their workplace policies concerning political activities and speech. Evidence suggests employers must educate employees concerning workplace political speech …