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

Texas

San Antonio delays paid sick leave, Dallas moves ahead

09/04/2019
By now, San Antonio’s paid sick leave ordinance was supposed to have gone into effect. But thanks to a compromise between city government and a group of local employers, affected employers won’t have to begin providing paid leave until at least Dec. 1, 2019.

HR pro tip: Never ignore a lawsuit

08/29/2019
Courts set tight deadlines for responding to lawsuits once they have been served. Miss a deadline without a rock-solid excuse, and you’re probably looking at a default judgment. Then it’s merely up to the plaintiff to provide some elementary proof that he’s entitled to damages.

Track every disciplinary action in detail

08/14/2019
Document all the details when you discipline or terminate. That way, you can review past discipline and compare it with currently proposed action. Similar conduct should result in similar punishment.

What to do about repeated harassment claims that always turn out to be unfounded?

08/01/2019
Q. We have an employee who has complained multiple times that she’s been sexually harassed. Each time we investigate, no one will back up her stories. Can we tell her to stop complaining?

Q&A: Paid leave laws in Dallas, San Antonio go into effect

08/01/2019
Employers with more than five employees in Dallas or San Antonio should make sure their leave policies comply with the new requirements. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about the ordinances.

Quick action following harassment claim is essential

08/01/2019
When an alleged sexual harasser is a co-worker, employers must take immediate action to investigate. That investigation must be designed to stop any ongoing harassment and prevent future harassment. That means following up with the victim.

Workers’ comp retaliation or a legitimate discharge?

08/01/2019
Firing someone shortly after he makes a workers’ compensation claim means risking a retaliation lawsuit. To defend, the employer must show the court that there was a legitimate, unrelated reason for the termination.

Note exact date you informed employees they would be losing their jobs

08/01/2019
Former employees generally have just 300 days to file an EEOC discrimination complaint, and the clock starts ticking on the last date discrimination occurred. But in the case of an announced termination, the crucial date is when the employee learned she was going to lose her job.

Older worker must sign severance agreement in order to claim OWBPA violation

08/01/2019
Under the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, employers are required to follow certain rules before getting employees to promise not to sue in exchange for receiving a severance payment. But merely presenting a severance offer that technically doesn’t meet those standards isn’t a separate legal wrong, as a recent case shows.

Warn supervisors: No inappropriate questions for employees who are expecting

08/01/2019
Employers should be careful about intrusive inquiries about a pregnancy, especially those that come from supervisors.