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N.J. Supreme Court sets rules for proving religious discrimination

10/27/2008

The New Jersey Supreme Court has ruled for the first time on the proof employees must offer to make a religion-based hostile work environment claim stick. The case, Cutler v. Dorn, established that New Jersey courts must decide workplace religious discrimination claims using the same legal standards they use in racial and gender discrimination claims.

Is it illegal for employees to use cell phones while driving?

10/24/2008

Q. Our employees often use their cell phones when driving vehicles. Does North Carolina prohibit or limit cell phone use while driving?

No ifs, ands or butts: Know Pennsylvania’s new smoking ban

10/22/2008

In June, Gov. Ed Rendell signed into law the Clean Indoor Air Act (CIAA), which regulates smoking in places across the commonwealth (except the city of Philadelphia because it already has a similar smoking ban in place). The CIAA prohibits smoking in indoor areas such as enclosed public places, restaurants, nightclubs and workplaces …

How can I make sure proprietary information doesn’t leave when employees do?

10/22/2008

Q. As an employer, what can I do to avoid unauthorized disclosure of sensitive company information when an employee departs?

How can I ensure a safe work environment?

10/22/2008

Q. What are some proactive strategies employers can implement to promote a safe workplace? …

The new ADA Amendments Act: What every employer should know

10/21/2008

The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 will become effective on Jan. 1, 2009. Now is the time to prepare for the impact. The new law effectively broadens the scope of protection offered by the ADA, which Congress found to have been narrowed in recent years by various U.S. Supreme Court decisions and EEOC regulations.

Nix the nicknames or ‘Grandma’ will get even

10/17/2008

Every workplace has managers who love to hand out nicknames to employees and co-workers. It’s all good fun until an employee in a protected class—age, sex, race, religion, disability, etc.—takes offense …

EEOC sues Mesaba Airlines over Sabbath rules

10/14/2008

The EEOC has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Laura Vallejos, a former customer service agent for Northwest Airlines’ subsidiary, Mesaba Airlines, based in Eagan. She claims she was fired for refusing to work past sundown on Fridays, the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath …

Macy’s resolves English-only incident at Edina store

10/14/2008

Macy’s has rescinded a manager’s ad hoc English-only rule after six employees at the company’s Southdale Mall store in Edina complained to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) of Minnesota. The workers said a manager allegedly threatened to fire them if they spoke “even one word” of Somali on the job …

Gold’n Plump, Muslim workers agree on religious accommodations

10/14/2008

After a year of negotiating and two EEOC lawsuits, Gold’n Plump Inc. of St. Cloud granted Muslim workers an extra 10-minute break for prayers and allowed them to refuse to work with pork products …