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Pennsylvania

Do we have to grant paid leave for time an employee will spend testifying in court?

12/24/2008

Q. An employee has been subpoenaed to appear as a witness in a criminal case. Are we required to pay him for that time, or can we have him take vacation time or an unpaid leave of absence?

Feds issue new I-9 form: Start using it by Feb. 2

12/18/2008

U.S. employers must begin using a revised version of the I-9 Form starting Feb. 2. Employers that use the current edition of the I-9 (dated 06/05/2007) after Feb. 2 may be subject to fines.

U.S. Supreme Court: 4 key employment cases could reshape HR

12/05/2008

During this term, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider employment cases concerning arbitration, pregnancy discrimination, protected activity and union fee use.

DOL issues new FMLA rules; time to review your policies

12/04/2008

On Nov. 17, the DOL finalized the first major overhaul of FMLA regulations in 15 years. Some changes favor employers; others will make FMLA compliance trickier than ever. They will require changes to your policies.

Investigate thoroughly before settling bias suit

12/04/2008

Settling with an employee who has filed a discrimination lawsuit? If the EEOC gets involved, it can continue the case on its own—and may be able to get a court to order you to take corrective measures that go far beyond your settlement terms. That’s one good reason to conduct your own thorough investigation before you settle with the employee.

Pay gap growing for Pennsylvania working women

12/04/2008

After making strides in the ’80s and early ’90s, working women in Pennsylvania are losing ground in their earnings compared to men, a recent study by Keystone Research Center (KRC) found. The current wage gap is about $4 per hour, with women earning an average $13.25 per hour, compared to $16.97 per hour for men.

Temporary disability leave over? Carefully handle employee’s return to work

12/04/2008

An employee who has been on temporary disability leave and whose leave is about to expire may be eligible for reasonable accommodations under the ADA. A smart employer will try to ease the return process by proposing a solid return date to the employee and inviting him to contact the company with any questions or concerns.

Good manners prevent needless negligent-supervision lawsuits

12/04/2008

Employers are responsible for the way their employees behave. Threatening behavior toward fellow employees or customers that causes emotional or physical harm can lead to a negligent-supervision lawsuit.

At-will employment remains alive and well in Pennsylvania

12/04/2008

Employees and their lawyers are always trying to find new ways to expand the claims they can make against employers. They try novel approaches to try to sweeten the recovery pot, as the following case shows.

Temp tests Woody Allen’s 80% theory and fails

12/04/2008

Maybe Craig Whirlow, a temp agency employee from Connellsville, is a con man. Maybe he’s just a world-class slacker. Or maybe he’s a fan of comedian and director Woody Allen, who once famously observed, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.”