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HR Management

Investigate even when employee complains belatedly

07/14/2008

When it comes to reporting sexual harassment, employees have an obligation to use their employer’s complaint process, even if doing so may be uncomfortable. If they don’t, they may lose the right to sue for a hostile work environment. But what happens if an employee has tolerated mild harassment for years without complaining? …

The dastaar worked in ‘Aladdin’

07/14/2008
Musician Sukhbir Channa has filed a $1 million class-action lawsuit against Walt Disney World, claiming the park denied him employment because his Sikh religion requires him to wear a beard and a dastaar, or turban …

What you need to know about Florida’s new Guns at Work Law

07/14/2008
Last April, the Florida Legislature passed the Preservation and Protection of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms in Motor Vehicles Act of 2008. Many call it by a much less official name: the Guns at Work Law. The law expands employees’ rights to transport lawfully registered firearms in their vehicles even if they are traveling to work …

Drugmaker catches disco fever

07/11/2008

Allegan–based drugmaker Perrigo Corp. is reaching out to potential hires with the “Perrigo Dancing Scientists,” a slick YouTube music video of scientists in lab coats busting moves. The video is designed to show job hunters that Perrigo is a hip, fun place to work …

How far can MDCR investigation go?

07/11/2008
Q. Our company is responding to a charge filed with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights (MDCR). The allegation relates to management’s treatment of one employee. However, during the investigation, the MDCR  asked us to produce various unrelated records—for example, promotion records. The charging party has made no claim that he was discriminated against with respect to any promotion. He has never even sought a promotion. How should we respond to this request? …

Is intermittent leave for childbirth OK? Only if you agree

07/11/2008
Here’s an uncommon FMLA question: Can a new father or mother return to work part time, taking intermittent FMLA leave? The surprising answer is no—unless the employer OKs it …

Consult attorney on union contract—Because every word counts

07/11/2008
If your organization just became a union shop, chances are you will soon be knee-deep in contract negotiations. Before you sit down and begin drafting language you think is reasonable, consider this: From now on, interpretation of workplace rules will probably be out of your hands and will rest with an arbitrator …

Investigate harassment even if employee complains belatedly

07/11/2008
What happens if an employee has tolerated mild harassment for years without complaining and then the behavior escalates? If the employee stops work, takes disability leave and then files a sexual harassment complaint, what should you do? …

Strong privacy policy can curtail rifling through files

07/11/2008
Employees who are involved in employment disputes often think they can simply gather up any evidence they find lying about and turn it over to their lawyers. Smart employers try to limit the damage that revealing such confidential information may bring by holding all employees to reasonable privacy and confidentiality rules …

How to help employees accept change in the workplace: It’s all about the 4 C’s

07/09/2008