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Pennsylvania

Muslims object to bias in state police training

05/23/2008
The Pennsylvania chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-PA) has asked the Pennsylvania State Police to change its mandatory officer training class, “Radical Islam: A Law Enforcement Primer” to offer a more balanced view of Islam …

Cop pulls a Bonnie and Clyde

05/23/2008
Christian Torres, a New York City rookie police officer, allegedly robbed a Sovereign Bank in Muhlenberg Township on April 11, making off with $113,000. He didn’t get far …

No iPods for you! State imposes killjoy clause

05/23/2008
Five state employees who got lucky at a technology conference sponsored by Cisco Systems will have to relinquish their goodies, the state Office of Administration has said. The five won door prizes, including an iPod and $50 gift cards …

Threatening, but not hostile

05/23/2008
Keith Harris and Dennis Alexander, who are black, sued Joseph Orlando, owner of Cobra Construction, for constructive discharge and racial discrimination, saying they were forced to quit out of fear for their lives …

U.S. Supreme Court rules on arbitration agreements

05/23/2008
The U.S. Supreme Court has handed down an opinion that may have important ramifications for employers and others who use arbitration agreements to resolve disputes. Although technically not an employment law case, the decision sets some important limits on how arbitration decisions are appealed …

Do we have to hand over personnel file to employee we fired?

05/23/2008
Q. We fired an employee based on an eyewitness account of theft. We documented that report and put it in the former employee’s personnel file. That person has now hired an attorney and asked to see the file. We feel that we have no obligation to respond. Do we have to turn it over without a subpoena?

After learning of possible serious medical condition, what are our legal obligations?

05/23/2008
Q. An employee told us he has a bad hernia. He wants to wait a couple months to have the operation, since it requires six weeks’ recovery. He does some lifting in his job. Yesterday, he had to go home early because he was in pain. Now that we are aware of his condition, what’s our liability? And what should we do?

What should we include in a policy banning cell phone cameras?

05/23/2008
Q. I’m looking to create a policy regarding cell phones with photographic capabilities. Any suggestions? …

What to do about employee who takes long leaves for medical problems?

05/23/2008
Q. We’re a small business with eight employees. One employee frequently takes off for six to eight weeks with medical problems. She’s done this each year for the past three years. It’s a huge burden because very few people have her training, so we can’t hire a temp. How long do we have to allow her to disappear for weeks at a time?

May we ask about criminal convictions?

05/23/2008
Q. Our employment application asks whether the candidate has been convicted of a felony. Is it legal for us to ask this? If so, can we ask what the applicant has been convicted of? Can that information be used as a basis for not hiring an individual?