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Employment Law

Charlotte Burger King site of protest for higher pay

01/03/2014
Charlotte was one of several cities where fast food workers staged November protests calling for higher wages. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) organized the protests to spotlight the low wages many in the fast food industry receive.

OSHA launches online whistle-blower complaint form

01/03/2014
OSHA now offers whistle-blowers an online complaint form. Until now, whistle-blowers had to either write or call OSHA. The online form is designed to provide workers who have been retaliated against an additional way to reach out for OSHA assistance.

Gaines’ loss: Over $1 million for whistle-blower violations

01/03/2014
OSHA has ordered Gaines Motor Lines, a Hickory-based freight hauling company, to reinstate three workers and pay $1,070,123 in back pay wages, interest, compensatory and punitive damages to four former employees who warned about safety problems.

Quick action key to preventing harassment lawsuits

01/03/2014
Here’s how to handle sexual har­­ass­­ment complaints: Investigate fast and fix any problems you find. Then don’t fear legitimate discipline afterwards.

Beware calling older employee ‘old man’

01/03/2014
Include ageism in your discrimination and hostile work environment training. And for goodness sake, remind bosses not to refer to older workers as “old man” or “old woman.”

Government employers: Section 1983 may mean liability for sexual orientation bias

01/03/2014
While Congress has not yet passed an amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act that outlaws employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, public employers are increasingly being sued under Section 1983, which prohibits government from denying citizens their constitutional rights to equal protection of the law.

Adding an arbitration agreement? Make it retroactive

01/03/2014
Are you considering adding an arbitration agreement to your terms and conditions of employment? If you do, make sure the contract includes a retroactive clause that makes arbitration the remedy for past complaints, too.

North Carolina law allows honest answers to reference requests

01/03/2014
Employers often worry when they respond to requests for an em­­ployee reference. They assume if they aren’t upbeat and positive, they may end up liable if the employee doesn’t get the job. Fortunately, that’s seldom a worry if you are honest, aren’t out to “get” the employee and never volunteer any information without first being asked.

Deflecting Cupid’s arrow in an environment shaped by #MeToo

01/01/2014
With Valentine’s Day on the way, now is an excellent time to reexamine sexual harassment policies.

How to avoid age bias when talking retirement

12/31/2013

Supervisors and HR walk a legal tightrope when discussing retirement plans with aging workers. If it appears you’re pushing an employee out the door based on his age, you’ll be setting yourself up for an age discrimination lawsuit.