• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly
Connection failed: SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] No such file or directory

California

U.S. Supreme Court: 4 key employment cases could reshape HR

12/05/2008

During this term, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider employment cases concerning arbitration, pregnancy discrimination, protected activity and union fee use.

DOL issues new FMLA rules; time to review your policies

12/04/2008

On Nov. 17, the DOL finalized the first major overhaul of FMLA regulations in 15 years. Some changes favor employers; others will make FMLA compliance trickier than ever. They will require changes to your policies.

Your guide to medical confidentiality under the ADA and the FMLA

12/04/2008

Both the ADA and the FMLA have strict requirements for how employers must handle employees’ confidential medical information. HR professionals need to know these rules to comply with both acts—and to avoid expensive legal liability for failing to do so.

One more reason to keep job descriptions current

11/25/2008

If you don’t have up-to-date job descriptions, you are asking for legal trouble the next time an employee asks for reasonable accommodations under the ADA. Without a current job description, the employee will come up with her own—quite possibly minimizing the essential functions she can’t perform.

Calif. OT law may apply to out-of-state workers

11/25/2008

Do you have employees who live and work in another state, but whose jobs sometimes bring them to California? Then you may be making a big overtime mistake if you pay them as if they were working in their home states.

‘Big Five’ talent agency settles age-bias suit for $4.5 million

11/25/2008

A class of television writers reached a $4.5 million settlement in an age discrimination lawsuit it brought against International Creative Management (ICM), one of Hollywood’s “Big Five” talent agencies.

Clarify contract status by separating arbitration clause from job application

11/25/2008

If, like many employers, you include an arbitration clause in your employment applications, take note of a recent California Court of Appeal case.

Workers who pursue internal discrimination grievances have extra time to sue

11/25/2008

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act requires employees to file complaints with the appropriate state agency within one year of an alleged discriminatory act. But what happens if the employee delays going to the agency and instead tries to resolve the complaint using the employer’s own internal process?

Court: Local governments can create benefit-spending requirements

11/25/2008

Many California employers are viewing a recent decision by a federal appeals court as a setback. The court upheld the right of local governments to pass ordinances that essentially force employers to provide a certain level of funding for employee benefits.

Retirees who take lump sum still have standing to sue

11/25/2008

Don’t think that employees who take their retirement benefits in a lump sum can’t sue for alleged fiduciary breaches. A recent federal appeals court decision says although retirees are not technically employees anymore, they still have standing to sue …