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Pennsylvania

Woodmen Life settles harassment suit for $285,000

09/01/2007

Lincoln, NE-based Woodmen of the World Life Insurance Society will pay $285,000 plus a $50,000 annuity to Louella Rollins, a Pittsburgh-area woman who served as state manager for Woodmen in Pennsylvania. Rollins claimed that a man she supervised complained openly about having to work for a woman. She said the employee also grabbed and touched her …

Don’t like bad press? Don’t take up government work

09/01/2007

Joseph Rosenfeld, a former community affairs assistant to the mayor of Allentown, lost a workers’ compensation claim for psychological damage he said he suffered because of bad press over his job performance. Rosenfeld was the subject of some 30 newspaper articles in 1996 alleging he had used his political clout to stop the relocation of a bus terminal to financially benefit his family …

Plan now to reduce impact of flu pandemic in the workplace

09/01/2007

It’s a doomsday scenario worthy of a movie: A virus spreads around the globe, killing millions and sending millions more to hospitals. Panic ensues, infrastructure breaks down and commerce comes to a halt. But this isn’t a scriptwriter’s invention. Many scientists believe this nightmare is only a matter of time—when the next influenza pandemic hits. What should businesses do to prepare for a pandemic? Employers must be proactive and consider how they will sustain their operation in truly trying times …

Drug testing: Minimize lawsuit risk with smart policy

09/01/2007

You have the right to demand a drug-free workplace, but employees also have reasonable rights to privacy. That’s why drug testing and substance-abuse prevention programs carry big-time legal risks if they’re not managed properly. Employers can safely administer drug testing before hiring someone, during a fitness-for-duty test and after a preventable accident …

Travel time normally not payable

09/01/2007

Q. Do I have to pay my employees for travel time? …

Discipline: Step-by-Step

09/01/2007

Q. What is progressive discipline? …

The elements of a valid noncompete agreement

09/01/2007

Q. What standards must Pennsylvania employers follow when drafting noncompete agreements? …

Employee access to personnel files

09/01/2007

Q. Who has the right to view personnel files? …

Phone privacy: It’s your property

09/01/2007

Q. Can employers eavesdrop on their employees’ phone conversations at work, or listen to their voicemail messages in the company voicemail system? …

Retirees can sue employers who mismanage retirement investments

09/01/2007

The 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has expanded the class in a class-action suit brought by former workers and retirees against their employer. The case centers on Conexant Systems Inc., which offered its own stock among the investment options employees could choose from when structuring their 401(k) plans. The stock fell from $7.42 per share to $1.70 in seven months during 2004 …