Legal Issues

Getting your mind around the ADA’s newest traps

November 2, 2015
You probably know by now that when an employee needs to take leave, his or her actual absence can be the easy part to navigate. But just before they go, and after they return … these are the times when issues of accommodation come into play. So how comfortable are you really with the ADA’s tricky requirements?

Keep it legal: Bad reviews, bad discrimination claim

October 20, 2015
A quick look at two recent court cases managers need to be aware of.

Lessons from the courts: Pay protection, religious remarks and dangerous places

October 2, 2015
One religious remark doesn’t trump legitimate discipline … Know when to notify OSHA … Don’t cut pay after FMLA leave.

Lessons from the courts: Age discrimination, religious discrimination and awful graffiti

September 24, 2015
Got an ideal age range for the job? Scrap it now … Check those bathroom walls for graffiti … Perhaps a shift change would have saved $22,000.

Keep it legal: Child care leave, health profiles and forbidden words

September 15, 2015
A quick lesson on child-care leave … Why does that résumé have a “Health Profile” on it? … Words never to use when you’re firing an employee.

These two video clips bring FMLA issues into focus

August 31, 2015
In an August webinar, attorney Michelle Maslowski of Ogletree Deakins shone a spotlight on Family and Medical Leave Act edge cases that reveal what a puzzle this law can be … and then provided answers.

Keep it legal: 3 reminders of the basics

August 28, 2015
Policies are worthless if they’re not communicated … Even the appearance of bias can be costly … Don’t shrug off same-race har­­assment.

New job title, but same pay–could it be perceived as a demotion?

August 24, 2015
Q: “We are reviewing our job descriptions. If a title is changed from Assistant HR Director to HR Tech but there is no change in pay, might it be considered a demotion?” – Patricia, Florida

Lessons from the courts: 3 cases to remember

August 14, 2015
Workers speaking Spanish on break? Let it go … Stick with same interview questions for all candidates … Make easy accommodations for workers without protest.

Worker with disabled child protected by the ADA

August 6, 2015
A woman was fired from her temporary job assignment at a medical facility and was denied a full-time permanent position because of her relationship to a person with disabilities—her toddler daughter.