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North Carolina

Ensure private info doesn’t become public

12/04/2008

You may not realize it, but your organization may be contributing to identity theft by failing to safeguard personal information such as employees’ names, addresses, birth dates and Social Security numbers. Any one of those breaches could violate the North Carolina Identity Theft Protection Act.

Bias charge threatened? Beware retaliation

12/04/2008

Employees are protected from retaliation for filing discrimination claims such as a complaint with the EEOC or the DOL. That protection starts as soon as the employee lets someone in authority at the company know he’s going to contact the agency.

Bank of America wields ‘big, fat stick,’ Merrill brokers say

12/04/2008

No sooner had Charlotte-based Bank of America acquired Merrill Lynch, it issued a revised broker-retention plan that some called downright scary.

Document absences, and excuses, too

12/04/2008

One of the best ways to win lawsuits at the earliest stages is to have ready a treasure trove of documents showing your decision about an employee was fair, impartial and reasonable. For example, for employees with absenteeism problems, document every absence.

Think lawsuit won’t materialize? Test theory on calendar

12/04/2008

If the EEOC decides not to pursue an employee’s discrimination case itself, it will issue a “Right to sue” letter. Employees then have up to 90 days to file a federal lawsuit. But before you dance a little jig on the 90th day, consider this …

You can apply rules more stringently to employees with greater responsibility

12/04/2008

Do you sometimes worry that every decision you make about an employee’s rule-breaking must be absolutely fair and that there is only black and white, but no gray? If so, rethink that idea.

Act quickly to fix safety violations

12/04/2008

Employers that take OSHA and state agency safety violations seriously probably won’t face additional legal troubles outside the workers’ compensation system if an employee is later hurt or killed. Ignore those reports, and employees can sue for unlimited damages …

Cautionary tale: Video cameras provide powerful evidence

12/04/2008

Here’s a cautionary tale you can tell employees when explaining they should never touch a fellow employee. With video surveillance cameras everywhere, such incidents may be caught on tape, and the employee doing the touching may have an innocent explanation that just won’t be heard over what seems to be happening on camera.

Employee contracts prevail, even in wartime

12/04/2008

The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals has sent to arbitration a case against Blackwater Worldwide brought by the family members of four guards who were killed in Iraq.

Fayetteville teacher under investigation for dissing McCain

12/04/2008

The Fayetteville Public School District is investigating a teacher at Mary McArthur Elementary School who told a student “your daddy could stay in the military for another hundred years” if John McCain were elected president.