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

Ohio

Ohio’s outsourcing ban called biased against foreign firms

10/08/2010

Gov. Ted Strickland has issued an executive order banning outsourcing of the state government’s information technology and back-office functions. The move, viewed by many as an election year move to create jobs for Ohioans, has raised the ire of the National Association of Software and Services Companies.

FMLA: What to do when worker refuses OT

10/08/2010
Some employees don’t like being told they have to put in OT, especially if they have medical conditions that make it difficult to work extended hours. However, you are within your rights to insist on overtime. Employees with a serious health condition that precludes working extra hours may have to go on intermittent FMLA leave.

Congress probes bias at Air Marshal’s Cincy office

09/24/2010
The Cincinnati field office of the Federal Air Marshal Service faces a Congressional inquiry after being named as the defendant in six civil rights lawsuits and 15 EEOC complaints. U.S. Rep. Ed Towns, D-N.Y., and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., have called for the investigation.

Cincinnati accountant got rich, then got jail time

09/24/2010
A former accounting manager for Cincinnati-based Clark Western Building Systems has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return as part of a nine-year embezzlement scheme she concocted. Kimberly Prebles almost got away with millions; now she has to pay it back—and then some.

Bring clear documentation to earn quick dismissal

09/24/2010

When employees file their own lawsuits, judges often bend over backward to help them out. They reason that employees who lack legal expertise deserve a little slack in court. That’s when it becomes crucial for employers to come to court armed with solid evidence that they handled the employee fairly.

Remind bosses: Report all harassment complaints

09/24/2010

Lower-level supervisors sometimes fail to respond to sexual harassment complaints, even if they’re familiar with their company’s policies. Some may consider sexual harassment a less-than-serious problem. Others may simply not want to admit it’s a problem at all. That’s where education comes in. Regularly remind all supervisors that the consequences of ignoring harassment complaints can be serious.

How seriously should we take allegations of female-on-male sexual harassment?

09/24/2010
Q. A male employee recently complained to HR that a female co-worker was sexually harassing him. Do I have to investigate this claim the same as I would a claim by a woman against a male co-worker?

Across the table: 10 tips for preparing for a deposition

09/10/2010

A deposition may feel like a simple conversation between the parties in a lawsuit, but it isn’t. It is a tool used by a highly skilled practitioner to lock-in your side of the story, build his or her case through your admissions and evaluate you as a trial witness. The following are my top 10 things to think about as you prepare to give testimony in a deposition.

Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati top cities for working moms

09/06/2010

Ohio’s three largest cities landed spots in the top 30 of Forbes magazine’s list of best cities for working mothers. The survey weighed women’s income, cost of living, availability of pediatricians, safety, employment and spending on education.

What are the rules? I’m afraid we wrongly denied an employee’s FMLA leave request

09/03/2010
Q. An employee worked for us for years, took four years off to have a child and was rehired nine months ago. She asked for time off because her child needed surgery. We refused because we thought she was not FMLA-eligible. After we terminated her for an unauthorized leave of absence, we received a nasty letter from her attorney threatening to sue us for violating her rights under the FMLA. Who’s right?