Policies / Handbooks

Maternity leave repayment may be discriminatory

06/01/2001

Q. Our maternity leave policy offers paid leave for female employees who plan to return to work after the birth of the child. If the employee quits before returning to work, she’s required to reimburse the company for the paid leave. Is this lawful? —A.C., Maryland

Employees must know company disclosure limits

06/01/2001

Q. During a recent Internet chat room exchange, an individual self-identified as an employee came to our company’s defense over a recent drop in stock price. The employee came dangerously close to disclosing information about earnings that were not yet public. What should we do? —C.F., New Jersey

ADA accommodation: Not a one-shot deal

05/01/2001

Some days Carolyn Humphrey tried from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. just to get ready for work. She would rinse her hair for up to an hour. If it didn’t “feel …

Consistent policy, smart response get you off the hook for retaliation

05/01/2001

Barbara von Gunten’s job as an environmental health aide forced her to spend most of the year in a two-person boat collecting water samples. She accused her boat mate of sexual …

Court gives green light to arbitration; but proceed with caution

05/01/2001

Don’t believe everything you’re hearing about the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision supporting arbitration in employment contracts. True, it gives you more freedom to require employees to settle disputes via …

Dress code can differentiate among workers’ positions

05/01/2001

Q. Can we set a dress code policy that bars visible tattoos and multiple piercing on our receptionist but not other workers who have less public contact? —D.O., Maryland

Paying for holiday work can endanger exempt status

05/01/2001

Q. Our company policy says employees who work on holidays are paid time-and-a-half. If an exempt employee works on a holiday, can I pay him time-and-a-half? —R.E., Iowa

Lock up your company secrets — or lose them

04/01/2001

Cary and Brenda Jensen worked for the Lodge at Mount Snow, placing ads and organizing bus tours for senior citizens groups. After six years, the Jensens quit to open …

Scales tip against weight rule

04/01/2001

The U.S. Supreme Court recently let stand a ruling that an airline’s weight policy discriminated against women. (United Airlines v. Frank, 00-948) The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided …

Grooming policies: Establish limits, not discrimination

04/01/2001

Frank’s boss asked him to quit wearing his earring to work. Frank refused, arguing that women in the office were allowed to wear earrings. He was fired and then sued for …