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Privacy

Noncompete pacts in Texas: New ruling brings clarity … and questions

05/01/2007

Last October, the Texas Supreme Court ruled employers may require new and existing employees to sign covenants not to compete, even if they are “at will” employees. As long as the employees get something in return for agreeing to the restrictions their employers want, the agreements are legal …

Can we make smokers pay higher premiums?

05/01/2007

Q. I have to admit I am not a fan of smokers, but what really concerns me is the cost they are adding to our benefits programs. I don’t think it is fair to the nonsmokers that their costs should keep going up year after year when it’s likely smokers are fueling a part of that cost. Can I make smokers pay more in premiums?—S.S.

Helping Employees Through the Grieving Process

04/22/2007
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Obtain approval to give out employees’ info

04/01/2007

Q. I’ve just joined a new company, and our HR people give out employees’ information (wage data, demographic info, etc.) to anyone who calls to request it. Is that right? —P.L., Virginia

Avoid these 5 telecommuting liability pitfalls

04/01/2007
As telework’s popularity grows, so do legal concerns for employers. To lower your risks, devise a telecommuting policy that protects you on these fronts.

What should you do if an employee gets arrested?

04/01/2007

It’s Monday morning, the coffee has yet to be brewed and already a huge problem has dropped onto your desk. An employee left a voice mail saying he has been arrested. He doesn’t say what happened, but the very next message is from a local newspaper reporter asking for details about the employee’s work history …

Punishing a worker for personal blog post

04/01/2007

Q. One of my staff showed me an Internet link to another employee’s personal blog, which included racial and offensive comments about our company and employees. Can we reprimand the employee for the racial slurs?

Let cops search computers; don’t fear a privacy lawsuit

04/01/2007

With all the talk about workplace privacy, remember that your organization, not the employee, owns the computers and the data in them. You needn’t fear a privacy lawsuit if you give permission for law enforcement to read e-mail, search hard drives or access phone numbers on company-owned cell phones …

Planning for a pandemic flu: Is your organization prepared?

04/01/2007

After preparing for Y2K, anthrax and hurricanes, HR and legal professionals must now turn their attention to pandemic planning …

Local grocery store and EEOC settle disability bias lawsuit

04/01/2007

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Brookshire’s Grocery Co. recently agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by the agency on behalf of a former employee allegedly demoted after the company learned that she was infected with Hepatitis C …