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Employment Law

Hershey Med settles with fired cancer surgeon

06/29/2015
The Penn State Hershey Medical Center has agreed to settle a lawsuit alleging that a cancer surgeon was fired in retaliation for defending the rights of his secretary, who was fighting breast cancer.

From the Fox29 newsroom: Anchor loses on reverse bias

06/29/2015
A white news anchor at the Fox29 television station in Philadelphia has lost a long-simmering reverse discrimination lawsuit that began in 2007 when he was fired for using the N-word during a production meeting called to discuss a news story on the use of the racial slur in society.

Stick with same interview questions for all candidates

06/29/2015
Interviews are often critical for sorting through many apparently qualified job applicants, and it’s critical to properly handle the interview process. Be sure you treat candidates equally, asking the same interview questions of everyone.

That stinks! Don’t tolerate co-worker efforts to provoke fragrance sensitivity

06/29/2015
Some employees are sensitive to various chemicals such as perfumes and other strong smells. Accom­­­­mo­­dat­­ing the problem can be difficult, but it’s necessary if the condition rises to the level of a disability.

Cross-departmental work? Remember OT rules

06/29/2015
Large employers usually have several departments, and it’s common for employees to do work in more than one. But some payroll systems may not catch it when cross-departmental work exceeds 40 hours in a week, separately recording hours worked in each department.

New FMLA forms address GINA safe harbor

06/29/2015
The U.S. Department of Labor has modified its FMLA forms to include employer safe harbor language required under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act.

What rules does California mandate for employee meal breaks and rest periods?

06/26/2015
Q. I am in the process of drafting an employee handbook—specifically the section dealing with meal breaks and rest periods. What requirements or rules regarding meal and rest periods do I need to know about?

California Supreme Court to decide on waiving second lunch period

06/26/2015
The California Supreme Court has agreed to review the California Court of Appeal’s decision in Gerard v. Orange Coast Memorial Center, which partially invalidated an Industrial Welfare Commission wage order provision allowing health care industry employees to waive one of two required meal periods on shifts longer than eight hours.

Don’t let peevish behavior tie you up in litigation

06/26/2015
Nobody likes a serial litigator, but don’t fall into the trap of punishing an employee for repeatedly filing lawsuits.

Make it easy to know status of promotion process

06/26/2015
Federal employees have a much shorter time frame than other employees in which to complain about discrimination. In fact, they must go to their equal employment opportunity (EEO) officer within just 45 days of the alleged discrimination. But that time limit doesn’t apply if the employee has no way of knowing she was the victim of it.