• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

HR Management

Don’t lash out at workers who take jury-duty leave

02/01/2004
Issue: Can a small organization point to its size as a valid reason to deny jury-duty leave?
Risk: State law exemptions won’t necessarily protect you from this type of lawsuit. …

Liability

02/01/2004
Issue: Retaliation complaints by employees doubled in the past decade.
Risk: Even if you escape liability on an initial employment lawsuit, you could be smacked with a secondary retaliation charge. …

Employment contracts: Can your workers claim an ‘implied’ contract?

02/01/2004
Issue: Drafting a legally sound employment contract and avoiding “implied contract” claims.
Benefit/risk: While employment contracts can offer your organization additional legal rights, they also expose you to new legal …

Clarify your vacation policy or cough up extra pay

02/01/2004
Issue: Must you always pay employees for their unused vacation time when they depart your organization?
Risk: An unclear vacation policy could allow terminated employees to sue you and collect …

Office betting pools: Nice diversion or super problem?

02/01/2004
Issue: This is prime office-pool season: the Super Bowl, followed by the NCAA basketball tournament. Risk: Betting pools can sap productivity, but the real danger comes from compulsive gamblers on …

You can’t play politics with employees’ political choices

02/01/2004
Issue: In this election year, politics will become a hot topic around the water cooler.
Risk: Retaliating against employees for their off-site political activities or comments can run you into …

Review state law on voting leave

02/01/2004
Issue: Some states require you to give employees time off to vote. Benefit: You typically don’t have to pay for this “voting leave.” Action: Learn your state law and …

Beware labor’s pitch to create union sympathizers

02/01/2004
As AFL-CIO union membership continues to decline, it’s trying another tack: creating an army of nonunionized workers to rally support for its causes. Rather than organizing individual workplaces, this program, dubbed …

Use media to boost the organization’s stature (and yours)

02/01/2004
Issue: The media’s growing interest in HR and workplace issues. Benefit: By gaining publicity for your organization, you can aid recruitment efforts and earn kudos from top brass. Action: …

Compliments on dress and hair don’t equal sex harassment

01/01/2004
A female supervisor repeatedly complimented a female customer service rep on her choice of jewelry, clothing and hairstyle. The rep sued, alleging the constant comments were harassing and constituted a hostile …