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

Q&A

Offer temp job to driver too injured to drive?

01/03/2014
Q. Recently, one of our delivery drivers was hurt at home and is now unable to drive. Should we offer alternative employment?

Can we withhold double the cost of unreturned equipment from employee’s final paycheck?

01/03/2014
Q. Our employee handbook states, “If you do not return a piece of property we will withhold from your final paycheck the cost of replacing that piece of property.” One of our employees recently quit on the spot. My boss wants to almost double the actual replacement cost of the item. Can we do this?

Pay for voluntary training during lunch?

01/03/2014
Q. If our organization offers voluntary employee training, which takes place during lunch, do we have to pay employees for the time spent attending training?

How do California’s new immigration laws affect documenting eligibility to work?

12/24/2013
Q. I have heard that the state’s new immigration laws restrict how we handle documenting an applicant’s right to work. Can you tell me more?

Are retreat prizes taxable income?

12/24/2013
Q. We hold a team-building retreat every year where we give employees prizes after completing certain challenges. Are those prizes considered taxable income?

Can we hire contractors and later–if they work out–convert them into employees?

12/23/2013
Q. We’re expanding our marketing efforts over the next few months. Because we don’t have much time to go through a rigorous recruitment effort, we are considering hiring a number of people on a contractor basis. If they work out, we’ll then consider hiring them as employees. Can we do that?

Instead of laying off, can we redefine the job, pay?

12/17/2013
Q. Are there any laws that prohibit offering a new job description with a lower wage in place of a layoff?

Must we tell staff & visitors they’re being watched?

12/10/2013

Q. We recently installed cameras in our plant’s production areas. The cameras aren’t hidden, and it is common knowledge they were installed. Do I need to post something notifying employees and visitors that the area is under video surveillance? Should I have employees sign something? 

Worker won’t sign off on handbook: Can we fire her?

12/04/2013

Q. We just updated our policy manual and are asking employees to sign a standard acknowledgment of receipt form. If an employee refuses to sign it, is that grounds for termination? Or should we just document that they refused to sign? 

Should we use arbitration agreements to help resolve employment disputes?

12/03/2013
In California, companies adopting arbitration agreements face a number of difficult decisions in crafting their agreements to ensure that they will be enforceable while also maximizing the benefits of arbitration.