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Employment Law

Pennsylvania to reduce unemployment taxes next year

09/01/2006

With the Pennsylvania economy doing well and unemployment down, the commonwealth has decided to reduce the amount that employers will have to pay into the unemployment compensation (UC) system in 2007. UC taxes on employers will decline by an estimated $158 million …

Understanding religious accommodations in Pennsylvania workplaces

09/01/2006

Pennsylvania mirrors America’s growing diversity in many ways. Today, mosques occupy old churches; co-workers wear burqas and yarmulkes; and some employees request "prayer breaks." Religious diversity is a reason for celebration in a pluralistic society, but it also presents challenges in the workplace …

Must you pay employees for the commute? Sometimes, yes

09/01/2006

If you think you don’t have to start paying hourly employees until they arrive at the official job site, think again. While it’s true that you don’t normally need to compensate employees for their home-to-work commute, you might have to pay for the travel time if you impose restrictions on that commute or require them to stop along the way …

Give staff at least 15 days to obtain FMLA certification

09/01/2006

When it comes to collecting proof about an employee’s FMLA medical leave, one stupid mistake can cost your organization big bucks. That mistake? Not giving employees at least 15 calendar days to obtain the necessary medical certification to prove their need for FMLA leave …

Add early-Termination clauses to all employment contracts

09/01/2006

If you use employment contracts to ensure that you have specially trained employees for a predictable time period, make sure the contract gives you "wiggle room" to terminate the employee …

Don’t fear shifting to ‘Get-Tough’ reviews, but be consistent

09/01/2006

When new management or HR leaders arrive at a company, they may realize that the old guard failed to hold employees to high productivity goals. As a result, they may shift gears and set tougher standards. Employees accustomed to the status quo and the good evaluations may be taken by surprise and suspect discrimination …

New arbitration pacts should cover ‘Old’ job disputes

09/01/2006

More organizations are establishing mandatory arbitration agreements that require employees to arbitrate employment disputes rather than go to court. But if you’re considering such agreements, make sure they contain language that covers events that occurred before you put the arbitration policy in place …

Do you carry the right insurance against employee lawsuits?

09/01/2006

Your company has employment practices liability insurance (EPLI), so it’s covered in case of any employee lawsuit, right? Not so fast. The fine print in an EPLI policy can turn an apparently strong lawsuit shield into a worthless piece of paper …

Prepare to disclose more details on exec compensation

09/01/2006

Public companies must start providing a clearer picture of their top executives’ total compensation in accordance with new Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rules released in late July …

Will Maryland court ruling stop ‘Wal-Mart health care’ laws in other states?

09/01/2006

Wal-Mart won a major victory this summer in the continuing battle against state lawmakers who want to impose benefit mandates on U.S. employers. Only time will tell whether that victory discourages other state legislatures from pursuing similar actions …