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Immigration woes a lot of rot, says soon-To-Be ex-Tomato grower

04/25/2008
Fourth-generation farmer Keith Eckel, owner of Fred W. Eckel Sons Farms in Clarks Summit, has said he will no longer grow tomatoes because he can’t find enough workers to harvest them. Eckel, Pennsylvania’s largest grower of fresh-to-market tomatoes, hired mostly Mexican laborers to bring in past harvests …

Make and keep interview notes to prove promotion process wasn’t discriminatory

04/25/2008
Employers that lean heavily on interviews to decide which of two equally qualified candidates to promote should make sure they can later explain the selection process. That means asking participants in panel interviews to take and collect notes on what the interviews covered and how well the candidates did …

Which day is best to fire, hire or give reviews?

04/24/2008
A study by consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reports that Mondays are the best days to terminate employees because it allows them to start looking for a job right away. Make job offers on Thursdays because candidates need time to think …

Is your PEO ripping you off? A primer on the fine print

04/24/2008
Say you’ve decided to hire a professional employer organization (PEO) to handle some of your HR services—or you’re considering new PEO vendors to replace your current one. You have a choice of more than 700 PEOs to choose from. Prices and services offered by PEOs vary so much it’s hard to spot the best deal …

Feds target immigration raids at smaller firms

04/24/2008
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) grabbed headlines in the past year with large-scale immigration raids at big companies. But now that ICE has more trained officers and better coordination with other agencies, it’s targeting smaller businesses too …

As economic clouds darken, N.C. employers glimpse silver lining

04/23/2008
Despite a worsening economy that could still harm North Carolina employers, there’s some good news for the state amid recent reports on the downturn …

When weighing soft skills, document decisions

04/22/2008
Employers can ask questions about candidates’ subjective qualities, especially when many applicants are objectively qualified. But don’t risk a discrimination lawsuit by carelessly documenting how you arrived at ways to distinguish applicants … 

Lack of screening did not prove negligence in truck accident

04/22/2008
In September 2004, Martin King and Tobias Ledzema were both driving tractor-trailers in Lake County when Ledzema’s trailer struck King’s. King sued Ledzema’s employer, Fierro Trucking, based in Illinois, alleging negligent hiring and supervision …

Association discrimination covers friends, not just family

04/18/2008
California law and the ADA protect just about anyone who “associates” with a disabled person from discrimination. It doesn’t have to be a child, spouse or blood relative. The California Fair Employment and Housing Act and the Unruh Act both protect those who count disabled persons as friends …

Lack of female supervisors a red flag for discrimination

04/18/2008
Have you taken a good look at who fills supervisory roles at your workplace? If not, you should. Having very few female supervisors may spell trouble. Having none is like carrying a sign that reads, “Sue me now!” Employees suing for sex discrimination could point to the lack of female supervisors as evidence supporting their claims …