Ver la versión en español aquí Two hours at the gym, a full face of make-up and your best feel-good outfit: that’s how many a girls’ night out begins. But this one ended abruptly when a young woman claims she was turned away from a bar whose owner thought she was pregnant. Last month, a … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Did you see Jon Lester pitch for the Red Sox against the Yankees a few days ago? I bet you more money than Floyd Mayweather made in his fight against Manny Pacquiao that you didn’t. There is no way you could have. That’s because Lester does not pitch for … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí I love a good sci-fi film as much as the next guy, but what happens when the science is no longer fiction? If you’ve been following developments in the field of computers, you may have seen recent stories regarding how some fairly well regarded individuals, namely Stephen Hawking, Bill … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Clients sometimes ask, “Which employees should sign non-competition agreements?” The answer from a growing number of employers seems to be “Everyone” and from employees it seems to be “No One”. Recent news reports have commented on large retailers requiring that temporary or seasonal workers, stock room clerks and delivery … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Why would an employer force its employees to tell each other “I love you” or require employees to “thank God for their employment”? According to a lawsuit filed by the EEOC in New York federal court, the owners of United Health Programs of America and Cost Containment Group subscribe … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Employers rely on background screening as part of the hiring process. Recently, numerous large, well-known employers have been accused of failing to comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”). Why is this happening? The issue is the legality of the forms these employers may be using to obtain applicants’ authorizations to collect background … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí How’s this for news? A.K. Verma, an engineer for the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) in India, was recently fired after last showing up for work in December 1990. Verma left work sick one morning in 1990. He requested leave and then sought an extension of his initial leave. … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí I wanted to post about something exciting and attention-grabbing to start 2015. What better way than an update on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordkeeping requirements, right? Okay, I realize that OSHA and recordkeeping will not generate quite the level of excitement and fascination that I had … Continue Reading
First, there was Take Your Child to Work Day. Then, Take Your Dog to Work Day (yes, this is a real event that started in 1999) and now, there is “Take Your Parents to Work Day”. On November 6, 2014, LinkedIn is encouraging businesses across the globe to allow employees to bring their parents to … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí We have a time-out circle in my house, and from time to time, my preschool-age son visits the circle. Time-outs separate him from whatever undesirable behavior or activity he is engaged in – such as whining, arguing about brushing his teeth or throwing his toys – and give him … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Earlier this month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate dropped to 5.9 percent, the lowest it’s been since July 2008, and employers added 248,000 new jobs to their payrolls. Given the uptick in hiring, it is a good time for employers to review their … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Last month, I wrote a post about one company’s new “Mail on Holiday” program where emails are automatically deleted during an employee’s vacation. What if, in combination with such a program, an employee could have unlimited vacation time? For most employees, it’s a dream. But if you work for … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Mandatory arbitration agreements can reduce litigation. However, for at least one large employer, the arbitration agreement itself has created litigation. Last week, the EEOC sued restaurant franchise operator, Doherty Enterprises, Inc. claiming that the company’s practice of requiring employees to sign a mandatory arbitration agreement violates Title VII. Doherty … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí The football may be fantasy, but how real is its effect on productivity in your workplace? A recent report by Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., an employment consulting firm, states that fantasy football, with an estimated 31 million working-age participants, may cost employers close to $14 billion. According to … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí It’s the most wonderful time of the year … football season! In my house, it’s all football, all the time – college football (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday), pro football (Sunday, Monday and Thursday), NFL Total Access, ESPN Game Day etc. My husband and I even watched HBO’s “Hard Knocks,” … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Since 1872, the California Supreme Court has applied a bright-line mandate holding covenants not to compete invalid and unenforceable, unless the covenant is being sought as a means to protect goodwill in connection with the sale of a business. California’s Business and Professions Code permits an exception to the … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí I am always excited to turn on my “Out of Office” message on my email before I leave for vacation. But that message does not stop the emails from coming in or eliminate the need for my response when I am back in the office (or when I check … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Shawna Palmer was going to squeeze her toes into those Jimmy Choos, Manolo Blahniks – fill in the name of any other high end shoe brand – no matter what! After all, there was a beauty pageant title on the line – Miss Toyota Long Beach Grand Prix in … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí We imagine that among those former employees who sue their employers, there are many who dream of hearing the words “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury . . .“ wishing for a pot of gold to follow. Obviously, the thought of hearing those words in a courtroom may make … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Benjamin Moore & Co. is an American paint company. A former Benjamin Moore Manager, Clinton Tucker, alleges that the Company is marketing paints with racially insensitive names – his two names as a matter of fact. Tucker claims that Benjamin Moore’s Clinton Brown and Tucker Chocolate paint colors refer to … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Title VII and Pregnancy Discrimination Act could protect breastfeeding mothers at work Some women do it in the break room. Other women do it in their office. What about men? Well, they never do it. Pump breast milk, that is. Employers have had the last four years to get … Continue Reading
Three cases brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) highlight the importance of employers considering religious accommodations for their dress code policies. Pursuant to the law, a religious accommodation must be made as long as it does not impose an undue hardship to the employer. Two of the cases brought by the EEOC are … Continue Reading
On June 20, 2014, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced its proposal to change the FMLA’s definition of “spouse”. According to the DOL, the purpose of the proposed change is to “ensure that same-sex couples who have legally married will have consistent FMLA rights regardless of where they live.” Under the current FMLA regulations, employees … Continue Reading
Florida Governor Rick Scott signed SB 1030 today. This law now makes it legal for qualified patients in Florida to take low-THC cannabis in liquid form to treat certain seizure disorders, such as epilepsy and muscle spasms, and for cancer. While SB 1030 will likely not have a huge impact on day-to-day operations in the … Continue Reading
