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Florida

Investigate even when employee complains belatedly

07/14/2008

When it comes to reporting sexual harassment, employees have an obligation to use their employer’s complaint process, even if doing so may be uncomfortable. If they don’t, they may lose the right to sue for a hostile work environment. But what happens if an employee has tolerated mild harassment for years without complaining? …

Be ready to justify different punishment for like offenses

07/14/2008
The cardinal HR rule is that employees who break the same rule should receive similar punishments. That doesn’t mean, however, that you have no flexibility if the circumstances warrant it. You just have to make sure you can justify why you disciplined one employee differently than another …

Understand the ADA basics: Diagnosis not always equal to disability

07/14/2008
We hear and read that Americans are developing diabetes, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and other health problems at an alarming rate. But it doesn’t follow that large segments of the workforce are disabled and entitled to ADA accommodations for their ills.

It’s OK to ask questions about applicant’s ability to do specific job

07/14/2008
Tell your hiring managers the good news. They can question an obviously physically challenged applicant’s ability to perform a specific job without risking a successful disability discrimination lawsuit based on regarding the applicant as disabled. The key is to stick to questions related to the exact position the applicant seeks …

Don’t sweat innocent mistakes when deciding on disciplining

07/14/2008
Good news: You don’t have to be perfect when disciplining employees. As long as you can show you acted in good faith, you don’t have to worry that a court will second-guess your disciplinary decisions …

The dastaar worked in ‘Aladdin’

07/14/2008
Musician Sukhbir Channa has filed a $1 million class-action lawsuit against Walt Disney World, claiming the park denied him employment because his Sikh religion requires him to wear a beard and a dastaar, or turban …

Panthers employee sent to penalty box over critical e-Mail

07/14/2008
After the Florida Panthers traded team captain Olli Jokinen to the Phoenix Coyotes, some season ticket holders sent the National Hockey League team irate e-mails questioning the move. One Panthers employee tried to rationalize the decision with an e-mail that described Jokinen as a skater who played “with little heart or passion” …

Gas prices have employers weighing four-Day-Week schedule

07/14/2008
The city of Cocoa on the Space Coast is one of a growing number of state and local governments considering a four-day workweek to combat rising gas prices …

Assistant sues judge for age, disability discrimination

07/14/2008
Barbara Tomlinson, a former judicial assistant, has filed an age and disability discrimination charge against Hillsborough County Judge Joelle Ann Ober. Tomlinson worked for Ober for 11 years before quitting in February …

States settle deceptive practices lawsuit against Express Scripts

07/14/2008
Pharmacy benefits management giant Express Scripts has agreed to pay $9.5 million to 28 states, including Florida, to settle lawsuits alleging deceptive business practices. The lawsuits claimed the company convinced doctors to change patients’ cholesterol drug prescriptions to brands that offered Express Scripts a rebate …