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Employment Law

Former employee of music publisher sings to EEOC

04/12/2012
Winona-based Hal Leonard Publishing Co. has settled a sexual harassment class action suit with the EEOC. The music publisher will pay $150,000 to a class of women who claim they had to endure unwanted grabbing, squeezing and sexual innuendo.

OSHA publishes new hazard communication standards

04/12/2012
OSHA has updated its hazard communication standard to harmonize it with international standards. Com­­panies that manufacture, transport or have chemicals in the workplace must begin complying with the new standard by June 26.

Management’s independent review trumps supervisor’s hidden discrimination

04/12/2012
When upper management rubber-stamps an employment decision made by a supervisor who discriminates, the employer is liable for the discrimination. But if higher-ups independently review the situation before ratifying the decision, the employer isn’t bound by its discriminating subordinate’s wrongdoing.

Report alleges state didn’t investigate hospital head

04/12/2012
The state Department of Human Services failed to check educational and employment references for the director of the state’s largest mental hospital, according to a report by Minnesota Public Radio.

USERRA doesn’t require veteran’s preference

04/12/2012
USERRA is not a veteran’s preference law. It merely guarantees that service members can return to work no better or worse off than if they never left.

Menorah House sees the light

04/11/2012
A Boca Raton nursing facility, Menorah House, has agreed to settle a religious discrimination suit filed by two former employees after management stopped accommodating their religious needs. The two employees were Seventh-Day Adventists, who do not work from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday.

Don’t treat pregnancy-related absences differently than other medical absences

04/11/2012
If you provide additional leave or special arrangements for someone recovering from a heart attack or broken leg, you must provide them for a pregnant employee, too. Otherwise, you may be violating the Pregnancy Discrimination Act.

Shopping for FMLA certification doesn’t justify failing to call in absence

04/11/2012
Employees may need some time off to get their FMLA serious-health-condition forms certified. But that doesn’t mean they can stop showing up for work and ignore company call-in requirements during that time.

Not sure employee is eligible for FMLA leave? Play it safe and assume she is

04/11/2012
Once a supervisor or manager has reason to believe an employee may qualify for FMLA leave, the company is obligated to investigate. Ignoring that obligation can be a big mistake.

Boca Raton gas station draws ire for alleged religious bias

04/11/2012
It’s not just discrimination against workers that gets employers in trouble. Bias against customers can land them in hot water, too.