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Wisconsin

Can your practices withstand EEOC scrutiny? Use its standards to check hiring bias

06/10/2011

Even one employee’s complaint to the EEOC can launch a massive investigation into your hiring practices. That’s true even if the initial complaint didn’t strictly concern hiring. That’s why you must proactively look for inadvertent discrimination in all your hiring and employment practices. Don’t wait for the agency to come snooping.

Include summary of arb agreement in receipt

06/10/2011

If you require employees to accept arbitration as a condition of employment, you can include a brief statement describing the plan in an acknowledgment. As long as the acknowledgment shows that the employee may read the entire arbitration agreement before signing, it doesn’t matter whether she actually does.

Don’t tolerate intolerant religious talk

05/16/2011

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Court: Compensation based on employees’ market value may correct past pay bias

05/13/2011

Ever since Congress passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, employers have had to struggle with evaluating their compensation plans to make sure they aren’t perpetuating past pay discrimination. Now a federal judge has suggested that a better approach to fixing the problem may be found in the free market. If employers use the market value of jobs as a major factor in setting compensation, then even those whose pay is lower than it would be without past discrimination will be paid fairly because their increases will be greater.

Neutral comment doesn’t prove pregnancy discrimination

04/14/2011

When an employee announces she is pregnant, the only appropriate response is “Congratulations!” Then give her the information she needs so she can take any leave to which she is entitled. Negative comments can be used to prove pregnancy discrimination, but neutral ones cannot.

To catch a thief, first document suspicions

03/18/2011

Employee theft is a big problem for some employers. Even so, don’t make the mistake of accusing someone unless you have solid evidence he is the culprit. Instead, document your suspicions and consider whether to call police or conduct your own investigation. Then, try to catch the thief in the act.

Federal disability law doesn’t cover security screeners

03/14/2011

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that airport security screeners are not covered by the federal Rehabilitation Act. That means that the TSA doesn’t have to consider disabled applicants or accommodate those who may become disabled while working for the agency as security screeners.

When manager recommends firing subordinate, investigate to make sure bias isn’t a factor

02/25/2011

If you don’t have a chance to personally observe an employee’s behavior, don’t rely solely on a supervisor’s termination recommendation. Instead, conduct an independent investigation to verify the supervisor’s claim. Otherwise, any employment decision based on that recommendation can be tainted by the supervisor’s hidden bias.

Setting sound policies, following processes to a ‘T’ increase odds of winning in court

02/18/2011

Employers that follow their own disciplinary process—even in cases involving difficult employees—benefit if those employees sue. When courts see a reasonable disciplinary policy that is applied evenhandedly, they rarely second-guess an employer’s decision to fire an employee.

Alcoholism: a disability; drunkenness: a firing offense

02/11/2011

Alcoholism may be a disability, but that doesn’t mean alcoholic employees can get away with showing up at work a little tipsy.