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Hiring

Track all position openings and note who applies

09/01/2007

Do you keep a close record of all company job openings, how they’re posted and who responds? You should. Good records are the best way to show you didn’t purposely exclude from a promotion opportunity anyone who was qualified—or to show that they never applied in the first place …

Must we grant time off for rehab?

09/01/2007

Q. An employee recently confided to us that he has a drug problem and would like to take several weeks off to participate in a rehabilitation program. Does the California Labor Code require us to grant him time off?

No unemployment for substitute teachers who turn down equivalent positions

09/01/2007

Employees who work for educational institutions on a temporary basis from semester to semester—substitute teachers, for example—may be eligible for unemployment compensation if they are offered a substantially different position (with lower pay) the next term. But if the new assignment is essentially the same as the previous assignment, they can’t refuse the offer and receive unemployment compensation …

Court finds Del Monte didn’t cook promotion decisions

09/01/2007

A Pittsburgh system/supply analyst sued Del Monte Foods for race and age discrimination after being passed over for several promotions despite excellent reviews …

New Jersey employers targeted for IRS contractor audits

09/01/2007

New Jersey employers that use independent contractors should make sure all their documentation is in order. New Jersey is part of a pilot project initiated by the IRS to identify employers that provide 1099 forms for contract workers who should be paid as employees …

Catch reverse discrimination before it becomes federal case

09/01/2007

Is your organization going through a transition period marked by discharges and new hires? If so, take a quick look at your pre- and post-transition work force composition. If the diversity of your work force has changed dramatically, you may need to consider the possibility of a federal lawsuit hitting you next. If this sounds familiar, rethink your strategy before it’s too late …

EEOC ruled against you? Don’t simply settle

09/01/2007

In EEOC hearings, employers get a chance to defend their actions, and the agency often concludes that the employer did no wrong. But what about instances when the agency sides with the employee? Should you immediately accept defeat and settle the case? Not if you’re settling because you’re worried that the EEOC decision might become part of a federal lawsuit …

Violence puts Six Flags on the defensive over youth hiring

09/01/2007

Six Flags says it probably will reevaluate its employee screening process in the wake of an attack on a teenager on park property this past summer. Three seasonal employees have been arrested for participating in the beating of a 19-year-old Marietta man just outside the park.

Georgia Crime Information Center an invaluable tool for employers

09/01/2007

Q. I’ve heard that the state of Georgia can help me make sure my employees are honest, law-abiding citizens. In conducting background checks on applicants, what sort of information is available from the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC)? …

Vista may not release data on those who employ day laborers

09/01/2007

Recently, a Superior Court for San Diego County issued a temporary restraining order to stop the city of Vista from releasing the personal information of employers registered to employ contingent workers. The decision came after Vista passed an ordinance requiring registration of anyone who hired day laborers from “uncontrolled locations” …