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Indiana

Indianapolis FD settles to put out sexual discrimination fire

12/01/2007

The Indianapolis Fire Department has agreed to pay $350,000 to settle a sexual discrimination suit filed by a female captain. The captain claimed she was harassed, unjustly disciplined and not considered for promotion …

Blessed are the peacemakers: Firm provides biblical ADR

12/01/2007

Alternative dispute resolution—or ADR—has many proponents and detractors, but one Indiana attorney has devoted his practice exclusively to a biblically based ADR. Bill Blew, based in Fishers, uses a dispute resolution system developed by Montana-based Peacemaker AE Ministries …

Protecting business—and reputation—Against ‘Cyber-Slander’

12/01/2007

Complaints from employees, customers and competitors are nothing new in the business world. Until recently, if complaints crossed the line from mere opinions to false statements—that is, downright lies—companies could threaten a defamation lawsuit. Often, the mere threat of litigation will cause a disgruntled critic to back off. Today, however, companies face a more insidious and growing problem: Internet libel, commonly known as “cyber-slander.”

Leave by any other name is still FMLA leave

12/01/2007

Q. Can we require our employees to specifically request “Family and Medical Leave” or “FMLA leave” in order to trigger our duty to provide them certification forms? …

Can the ‘Paperless office’ work in an HR environment?

12/01/2007

Q. Our office manager wants to move to a paperless system. Are there any documents that we must maintain in paper form? …

Can direct deposit be compulsory?

12/01/2007

Q. Can we require employees to use direct deposit? …

Religious accommodation and seniority

12/01/2007

Q. We are a nonunion plant that uses a seniority-based bidding system for work shifts. A recent hire has complained that due to his lack of seniority, he is consistently being scheduled to work on Saturday, which is his Sabbath. Do we have to accommodate his religion by honoring his request to never work on Saturdays? …

Performance appraisals help in court as well as on the job

11/01/2007

Performance appraisals are valuable tools to help put struggling employees back on track. But a low rating also can spur poor performers to consider legal action: Many discrimination suits have been launched on the wings of a poor performance appraisal. Fortunately, employers with solid appraisal systems usually have built-in defenses against such charges …

Track rejected job offers to show lack of discrimination

11/01/2007

Employees who begin to feel less valued at work often look for some underlying reason. Often they focus on suspected age, sex, national origin or some other form of discrimination. Then, when a layoff or reorganization costs them their jobs, they sue. Frequently they’ll argue that they should have been offered open positions, even if it would have meant receiving a smaller salary than they had been making …

Reduce discrimination risk by having same person hire, fire

11/01/2007

If possible, it makes sense to have the same person provide hiring and firing input. Here’s why: Logically, it makes no sense for someone to hire an applicant despite apparent protected characteristics (e.g., gender, race, religion) and then fire that person because of those same characteristics. Although it may not be enough to get a case dismissed, courts will consider it and it may persuade a jury in your favor …