Ver la versión en español aquí Last week, I had the pleasure of presenting at the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce’s IMPACT Series: A Seminar Series for Small Business. The audience was comprised of business and human resources professionals across several sectors. For those of you who were not able to attend the presentation, I … Continue Reading
With Hurricane Dorian expected to make landfall this weekend, Floridians are stocking up on water, batteries, gas, and canned food. It’s important to be prepared and plan ahead for your home and family. Please see our suggestions below on important action items to take to prepare for and recover after a storm.… Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí It sounds dreamy doesn’t it? The other morning on my drive to work, I heard a story on the radio program Marketplace about four day workweeks. According to the most recent Marketplace – Edison Research Poll, nearly two-thirds of the workers polled said they would prefer a four day … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí It is time to stock up on bottled water and fresh batteries and consider trimming those trees. It is also time for businesses to dust off and freshen up their emergency policies and procedures. Please see our suggestions below on what to review.… Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí After seeing several players’ hair covering their jersey numbers during a performance of the Star Spangled Banner, former New York Yankees’ owner, George Steinbrenner, instructed the players to cut their hair. It was then, in 1973, that the New York Yankees’ grooming policy was born. The official team policy … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí On March 21, 2019, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers employers in Florida, Georgia, and Alabama) issued a decision that helps us answer this question: How do employees prove they were victims of unlawful discrimination in the workplace? Lewis v. City of Union City, Ga., No. 15-11362 … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Unless you recently woke up from a cryogenic slumber, your biometric information is out there. In today’s world, devices scan our palms before taking standardized tests. We unlock our phones with our fingers and our face. And we bicker with our named audio speakers in order to turn down … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Recently, an insurance company released a story about a secret contest it launched offering $10,000 to the first person who read their insurance policy. The catch: the only way you could find out about the contest was to actually read the policy. 73 policies were sold and sent out … Continue Reading
With Super Bowl LIII this Sunday and March Madness fast approaching, it is important to consider the impact of office pools on the workplace. Office pools can build workplace morale and improve employee relationships, not to mention add a little fun to the typical workday. Yet they remain illegal in many states, including Florida. In … Continue Reading
Halloween office parties can be very scary- HR folks need to be particularly wary. Provocative costumes are a big “no no”; Policy violators may receive the heave ho. I guess my feeble attempt at poetry left some folks howling at the moon. Halloween is just two days away, which means we’re all one inappropriate … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí I recently spoke at the SHRM 2018 Annual Conference & Exposition in Chicago. My topic was “Health Issues are Nothing to Sneeze at: Chemical Sensitivities, Bed Bugs, Zika and Flu Shots.” SHRM had over 18,000 attendees. It was a great opportunity to discuss some of the legal issues employers face when … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí While several well-known corporate executives, movie stars, government officials and other high profile people have been facing sexual harassment claims in recent weeks (and the list seems to increase daily), the issue is most assuredly not limited to those in the public eye. All employers are wise to use … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí I have always been fascinated when the shy people that I know suddenly become exhibitionists when it comes to donning Halloween costumes. Whether it is a sexy French maid costume from Victoria’s Secret or Captain Underpants® (from the Dreamworks movie), adult costumes have become much edgier. Those costumes are … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí On November 8, 2016, Florida voters approved the medical use of marijuana for individuals with certain debilitating medical conditions. The effective date was January 3, 2017. However, to date, Florida has done nothing to address how employers are to treat employees who will be prescribed marijuana for their disabilities. One … Continue Reading
Ransomware attacks are on the rise. Tuesday, a massive ransomware attack hit global businesses around the world. Last month, the worldwide cyberattack WannaCry affected more than 300,000 computers in over 150 countries. These are just the latest in a string of cybersecurity incidents that have threatened not only the confidentiality of company information, but the … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Did she really think she’d get away with misappropriating 600 files from her former employer by surreptitiously downloading them onto a USB drive? That’s what a former global marketing executive for Pfizer recently did just before she resigned. Oh, and she apparently also sent to her personal email account … Continue Reading
We all know that honesty is the best policy but what about an honest mistake? Can an honest mistake save you from liability in a retaliation lawsuit under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)? Just last month, federal appeals court in Pennsylvania said – Yes. In Capps v. Mondelez Global, LLC, the federal 3rd … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí It’s Friday, nearly 5 o’clock and you’re getting ready to go home. A stranger appears at your office waiving a copy of the Florida Public Records Act, demanding to see your company’s records. You explain that “this is a private company and not subject to the Public Records Act”. … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Let’s go back to happier times … for Pittsburgh Steelers fans, that is. On January 15, 2017, the Steelers won the AFC Divisional playoff, moving the team to the AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots the following Sunday. (Cue the “Boos”). The players were elated. The post-game … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí The stage is set. Super Bowl 51 will arrive in less than two weeks. But will your employees? In January 2016, the Workforce Institute conducted a survey to assess the impact of the Super Bowl on worker productivity the next day. According to the study, 77% of Americans planned … Continue Reading
The Florida Medical Marijuana Legislative Initiative (also known as Amendment 2), passed with 71% of the popular vote on November 8, 2016. Amendment 2 allows the medical use of marijuana for individuals with certain debilitating medical conditions as determined by a licensed Florida physician. Because Amendment 2 is silent as to its effective date, under … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí A new law passed by Congress reinstates the ability of eligible small employers to reimburse employee paid premiums to purchase individual health insurance policies. The law reverses the application of huge penalties that would have applied to such reimbursement actions under the IRS’ interpretation of the Affordable Care Act. … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí It is that time of year again – Holiday Party Season! What’s a party without alcohol, and what’s a law blog without a curmudgeon preaching moderation and reasonableness? (Paramount Pictures’ 2016 trailer for Office Christmas Party shows just how out of control these parties can get!) We all know the … Continue Reading
Ver la versión en español aquí Transgender Status and the Bathroom Question With North Carolina recently passing a state law which requires a transgender person to use the restroom that matches their sex at birth, the question many Floridians are asking now is: If a person is transgender, or has a gender identity or expression different … Continue Reading
