• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly
Connection failed: SQLSTATE[HY000] [2002] No such file or directory

New York

Charging insubordination? Line up witnesses

07/09/2014

When you fire a difficult em­­ployee, there’s a good chance he or she will remain a thorn in your side. Always aim to document the incident that prompted the firing by gathering as many eyewitness accounts as possible.

Words matter when firing disabled employee

07/09/2014
If a disabled employee is about to get the ax for reasons that have nothing to do with her condition, don’t make any comments about her health. Otherwise, it could look like you really fired her because she is disabled—and it could become the basis for a disability discrimination lawsuit.

How your handbook may violate the NLRA

06/09/2014
The National Labor Relations Act guarantees employees the right to discuss working conditions and organize. The language contained in your employee handbook can put you on the wrong side of the law.

Bypass ADA interactive accommodation process at your peril

06/09/2014

When it comes ADA disability discrimination claims, employers have to think about litigation as soon as an employee self-identifies as disabled and brings up potential reasonable accommodations. If a supervisor or HR professional refuses to even consider accommodations, it all but guarantees that the case won’t be dismissed at the summary judgment stage, potentially leading to a jury trial.

State court awards $1.6 million to Manhattan lesbian chef

06/09/2014
A Manhattan chef will see her largest payday ever after a state appellate court upheld a $1.6 million judgment against her former employer. Edward Globokar, owner of Tribecamex, will fork over the big bucks to his openly lesbian chef.

MTA rank and file sign contract

06/09/2014
A new contract grants unionized em­­ployees of New York City’s Metropolitan Transit Authority retroactive 1% raises for each of the past two years, which means most will receive one-time payments between $3,000 and $5,000.

Long Island insurance firm settles age bias claim for $300,000

06/09/2014
PJP Health will pay three f­ormer employees $300,000 to settle charges it harassed, fired and retaliated against the workers.

For wage litigation, no disguising common ownership

06/09/2014
Setting up several different corporations to run related enterprises won’t insulate the businesses from liability for wage-and-hour claims if the interrelationship is close.

Act fast on word of supervisor harassment

06/09/2014
Here’s a powerful reminder that when a supervisor is the harasser, prompt action can still save the day—as long as the harassed employee hasn’t yet been demoted, fired or otherwise substantially harmed.

A few isolated, annoying comments don’t create a hostile work environment

06/09/2014
Disabled employees are entitled to a workplace that’s free of hostility or harassment because of a disability. But that doesn’t mean that a few isolated comments are enough to create a hostile work environment.