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Labor Relations / Unions

Accruing sick leave during workers’ comp leave

04/01/2006

Q. One of our employees is out on workers’ comp. Our contract says “no sick time will be lost or deducted” while employees are out on workers’ comp. But now he wants to know if he continues to accrue sick time and holiday pay while not working. Does he? —J.S., Michigan

Know the Legal Boundaries of Employee Lie-Detector Testing

03/01/2006

In most cases, requiring private-sector employees to take polygraph tests will create more harm than good. That’s because the Employee Polygraph Protection Act makes it illegal to "require, request, suggest or cause an employee or prospective employee to take or submit to any lie-detector test," except in limited circumstances …

Fighting a unionization effort: do’s and don’ts

03/01/2006

Union membership has fallen dramatically in recent decades, but the labor movement is far from dead. The biggest change: In 2005, the breakaway "Change to Win" movement seized control over one-third of the powerful AFL-CIO’s unions. Change to Win lured the unions away by promising to shift the focus from political activism to organizing as many U.S. employers as possible. Is your business next? …

Nonunion worker’s pay complaint is protected activity under NLRA

02/01/2006

A new court ruling offers more reason to remind your supervisors to discipline employees based on objective work-based standards. Never punish employees for discussing compensation or job conditions with their co-workers …

States become key battleground in the minimum wage fight

02/01/2006

It may be the Year of the Dog on the Chinese calendar, but it’s shaping up to be the year of the "living wage" in many states. Already, 17 states and the District of Columbia have legislated higher minimums than the federal $5.15 per hour rate …

Look to states, not Congress, for radical health care changes

02/01/2006

Employers and consumers alike have been wrestling with skyrocketing health care costs, with no end in sight. And while Congress has talked much about reforming the system, it’s been spinning its wheels for years. The same can’t be said for state legislatures, where lawmakers are actively passing laws to make coverage more affordable …

Unions are revving up: Here’s how to keep them at bay

01/01/2006

Infighting among union groups has the labor movement cranking up its organizing efforts to prove a point. Many employers panic when they become union targets, tripping over costly labor relations rules. Follow these steps to avoid becoming a union target …

Do you need a blog policy? Ask yourself 3 questions

11/01/2005

Employment policies often must adapt to changes in culture and technology, and the explosion of blogs is one such example. Disgruntled employees often use their blogs to attacks employers, spread gossip about co-workers or even publish suggestive pictures of themselves. Ask yourself the following questions to see if you need a blog policy …

Unions: Brace for renewed organizing in wake of union rift

11/01/2005
THE LAW. The 1935 National Labor Relations Act gives employees the right to organize, bargain collectively and strike. In the 1940s, Congress
tried to correct union abuses of power by …

Don’t try to silence employees who compare pay & perks

11/01/2005
Issue: The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) makes it illegal to punish employees for discussing pay, benefits or working conditions.
Risk: Many employers believe that such NLRA restrictions apply only …