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Pennsylvania

Senate: About-Face on smoking bill

07/01/2008
Just a week after rejecting it, the Pennsylvania Senate reversed course and passed a bill banning smoking in most workplaces and public spaces in the state. The ban will take effect 90 days after Gov. Ed Rendell signs it …

States settle deceptive-Practices lawsuit against Express Scripts

07/01/2008
Pharmacy benefits management giant Express Scripts has agreed to pay $9.5 million to 28 states—including Pennsylvania—to settle lawsuits alleging deceptive business practices …

Doh!

07/01/2008
A woman wanted for stealing money from her employer in North Dakota gave authorities a helping hand when she used her former boss as a reference for a job in Pennsylvania …

Comcast takes check for woman’s ‘Right arm’

07/01/2008
When Krista Cooney, a Comcast customer in western Pennsylvania, sent the company a check made out for “My Right Arm and Zero Dollars” to protest her cable bill, she thought she’d had the last laugh. But Cooney contends an unidentified employee at Comcast posted an electronic copy of the check on the Internet …

Pittsburgh company to pay $100,000 for race discrimination

07/01/2008
Champion Window of Pittsburgh has agreed to pay $100,000 to settle a race discrimination lawsuit brought by the EEOC on behalf of former employee Martell Waite …

How to protect yourself from Internet-Related liability

07/01/2008
The Internet is an invaluable tool in many workplaces, but lately it’s become a somewhat unexpected cause of employment law litigation. Two issues lead the wired way to the courthouse for employers: gathering information about job candidates through web sites and potential liability for what their employees do while using the Internet …

Seasonal work, temps and 1099 status: Are we liable for unemployment comp?

07/01/2008
Q. We hire seasonal temps and have them sign a policy that says their employment will end on a certain date. We’re aware of the unemployment responsibilities that come with being the last employer on record. If temps are hired with 1099 status, will our company still be responsible as the last employer on record and held liable for unemployment benefits? If we use a temp agency, are we liable? …

Can emergency contact info be mandatory?

07/01/2008
Q. We’re cleaning up our personnel files and updating emergency contact information. Some employees don’t want to provide their contact information. Is it legal for us to require them to give it to us? …

Sex harassment complaints only in writing?

07/01/2008
Q. Our regional manager wants me to revise our sexual harassment policy to require that complaints be in writing. He says this will formalize the procedure and help ensure that only valid complaints are filed. I’m not sure this is a good idea. Is it? …

OK to withhold pay to cover missing laptop?

07/01/2008
Q. An employee who recently quit hasn’t returned a company-owned laptop computer worth over $1,000. Can we withhold the value of the computer from the employee’s last paycheck? …