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Employment Law

Test for illegal drugs OK under ADA

11/01/2000

Q. Our company wants to begin screening applicants for illegal drugs. Can we make job offers conditional on the results of a drug test? —K.P., Louisiana

Title VII’s silence on gay bias doesn’t give OK to discriminate

10/01/2000
It would be an understatement to describe the working relationship between nurse Gary Hamner and the hospital’s medical director as poor. Hamner, a homosexual, says …

Prepare for OSHA visit when labor’s unhappy

10/01/2000
Pay extra attention to safety when your company is going through labor unrest. Reason: A new study shows that the likelihood of a federal safety inspection …

Base English-only rules on business necessity

10/01/2000
Unless you have a good business reason, steer clear of preventing workers from talking to each other in their native language. In September …

Hotel’s bid for ‘cool’ valets teaches lesson on job standards

10/01/2000
Under a new Equal Employment Opportunity Commission settlement, a group of valet/bellmen will collect $120,000 each from the upscale California hotel …

FMLA regulation strikes out again

10/01/2000
Another federal appeals court has struck down Labor Department regulations that say the clock doesn’t start ticking on an employee’s allowable …

Age-related laws: Liability lurks at both ends of spectrum

10/01/2000
Federal employment laws protect workers from cradle to grave, but in very different ways. For young workers, the law prevents them from performing dangerous …

Lesson of Reeves: Give reason for employment decision

10/01/2000
When making an employment decision (such as firing, hiring, demotion), it’s important for your words and actions to be consistent with your true reasons. It’s equally vital …

Sweeten deal when asking staff to sign noncompetes

10/01/2000

Q. Can I ask employees who are already with the company to execute noncompete agreements? —L.T., Georgia

Check arbitration pacts against these standards

10/01/2000

Q. To hold down litigation costs and resolve disputes faster, we’re thinking about requiring employees to sign arbitration agreements that would make them arbitrate employment disputes instead of going to court. Are these agreements legal? —C.R., California