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

Texas

Court rules: Texas state employees can’t sue over ‘self-care’ under the FMLA

05/01/2014

A federal court has concluded that Texas state employees who take FMLA leave for their own serious health conditions can’t later sue their state agency over that leave. That’s because Texas has sovereign immunity from such claims.

Key to maintaining contractor status: Don’t exert too much control over the work

05/01/2014
There’s a fine line between spelling out expectations and unduly controlling exactly how contractors and subcontractors do their jobs. If you use too heavy a hand, those workers you consider to be independent contractors can morph into employees. And that can mean expensive litigation.

Disabled employee does job successfully? Then no ADA accommodation is required

05/01/2014

Under some limited circumstances, employers may be obligated to suggest reasonable accommodations for struggling workers who have obvious disabilities that appear to interfere with their ability to perform essential job functions. But that’s really only true for em­­ployees whose disabilities are obvious and limit the employee’s ability to speak up for himself.

Beware lawsuits from contract workers, too

05/01/2014
Some employers mistakenly believe that having employees work on a contractual basis will save them from litigation. If they decide not to renew the contracts of workers considered “trou­­blemakers,” they figure they can avoid being sued. That’s a big mistake.

Worker refuses to follow directions? OK to fire

05/01/2014
Employees don’t have the right to decide which directions they must follow. Unless there are clearly extenuating reasons (safety concerns, for example), you can and should discipline workers who refuse to cooperate.

What are the rules for intermittent FMLA leave?

04/07/2014
Q. One of our employees has requested to take leave from work periodically to receive treatment for a medical condition. Are we obligated to allow the employee to take leave intermittently?

What are the basic rules for conducting background checks that pass legal muster?

04/07/2014
Q. We have several positions in our company that require financial discretion. May we perform background checks on applicants for these jobs?

Confidentiality promise broken? Don’t count on getting money back

04/07/2014
You may have read the recent headlines about a Facebook posting that unraveled a confidential settlement agreement between a prep school employee and the school. The employee’s daughter took to Facebook to brag that the family was planning a European vacation courtesy of the settlement …

Brownsville answers ADA suit in case of fired police officer

04/07/2014
The city of Brownsville has filed its answer to a former police officer’s suit alleging the city violated the ADA when it fired her shortly after discovering she suffered from Sjogren’s syndrome, which causes headaches, dry eyes and joint pain and swelling.

Disabled waitress sues after Houston restaurant raises bar

04/07/2014
Nick’s Restaurant and Sports Bar in Houston faces an EEOC lawsuit after it allegedly stopped accommodating a disabled em­­ployee with dwarfism.