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Policies / Handbooks

Self-Audit: Your Employee Handbook

11/20/2007
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How to Make Legally Smart Job Offers

11/19/2007
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Employee Handbook Checklist

11/07/2007
To access this Checklist, click here.

Well-Publicized policy prevents harassment, lawsuits

11/01/2007

Having a clear, comprehensive and responsive harassment policy in place—and advertising its existence—is the best way to prevent a hostile work environment. Not coincidentally, that’s also the best way to avoid legal trouble. Not only can a policy prevent harassment by letting everyone know what’s unacceptable, but it also ensures employees who believe they have been victims of harassment can’t claim ignorance of the available remedies …

Fired Co-op City worker makes good on threat to kill boss

11/01/2007

Over the years, the RiverBay Corporation disciplined Co-op City porter Paulino Valenzuela for drinking beer on the job, cursing and threatening to kill his supervisor, Audley Bent. Finally the company, which manages the Bronx housing complex, fired him. On Aug. 30, Valenzuela made good on his threats …

Law 101: Anti-Harassment training for managers, supervisors

11/01/2007

Developing, implementing and enforcing a comprehensive anti-harassment policy is vital to create a safe and comfortable work environment and minimize the potential damage from harassment lawsuits. But having an anti-harassment policy is not enough; the policy must be implemented, promulgated and consistently enforced. Training employees and managers on harassment law and the employer’s harassment policy is an important part of an employer’s defense against a harassment claim—whether the alleged harassment was by a supervisor or a co-worker …

Is office gambling a legal bet?

11/01/2007

Q. A senior vice president in our company wants to run a Super Bowl pool. A few of us are nervous about conducting office pools involving money. We don’t expect the company will profit from such a pool, although the individual vice president could win the pool. Are office pools like these legal in New York? …

Must we provide access to an employee’s personnel file?

11/01/2007

Q. Recently, an employee was involved in a nonwork-related car accident. The employee’s attorney sent the company an authorization letter demanding that we provide the employee’s personnel file in 20 days. It seems the attorney needs the information for a potential lawsuit (unrelated to the company) concerning the accident. Do we have to turn over the personnel file? …

Clear policies provide a road map for company cars

11/01/2007

Employees love company cars, especially if they frequently drive to client sites and are allowed to drive the cars home. Whether your organization supplies the sought-after sedans to staffers who drive around for business—such as sales reps and IT repair techs—or as a perk for valued employees, the road will be smoother if you set down clear policies in writing …

Occasional crudeness doesn’t add up to sexual harassment

11/01/2007

Everybody knows the workplace is supposed to be free of all forms of harassment. Everybody also realizes that’s the platonic ideal. The good news is that, with vigilance, you’ll protect your organization from sexual-harassment lawsuits because any harassment that surfaces won’t be pervasive and severe …