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Wisconsin

Transferring an employee may be retaliation, but merely discussing a transfer isn’t

10/12/2010

Retaliation is anything that would dissuade a reasonable employee from complaining about discrimination in the first place. That’s not to say every little negative thing that happens following a discrimination complaint is retaliation. Take, for example, a transfer to another position or shift.

Feel free to set generous FMLA notice terms, but rely on the law if you wind up in court

10/12/2010
Some employers cut more slack than the FMLA requires when employees fail to give timely notice that they want to take FMLA leave. The company typically might send an employee a letter informing her that, since she didn’t show up for her last scheduled shift or offered an explanation, she has five days to return or explain why she can’t work. If the reason is one covered by the FMLA, she may already have lost the right to claim FMLA leave.

Make amends fast if mistake harms worker

10/12/2010

Supervisors accused of discrimination sometimes lose their tempers—and then proceed to say or do something stupid. When that happens, act fast to step in and make amends. That’s especially important if the affected employee has walked off the job. The key is to make the employee understand that he still has a job and should return to work.

Driving restrictions may create ADA disability

09/16/2010

Generally, an individual whose medical condition results in driving restrictions isn’t considered disabled under the ADA. Courts consistently have held that driving is not a major life activity. But courts have also been willing to say that an individual whose driving restriction makes it hard to access available jobs may qualify for ADA protection because the inability to drive substantially impairs the ability to work.

Warn bosses: Hiding harassment will backfire

09/16/2010

Some low-level supervisors think a sexual harassment complaint will go away if they ignore it or get everyone except the victim to deny the allegations. It almost always backfires. Here’s why: Courts are willing to let juries decide who is telling the truth, even if it is one worker’s word against many.

One sex always does the dirty work? Be prepared to show that it’s essential

09/06/2010

If supervisors disproportionally push either men or women to perform certain distasteful or dangerous tasks, you could face a sex discrimination claim. If that happens, you had better be prepared to show that gender is a bona fide occupational qualification for the tasks.

Prepare to reinstate worker fired for working with OSHA

08/18/2010

Driver Peter Cefalu was fired from his job at Roadway Express after submitting a statement backing a co-worker’s claims that the company illegally required drivers to falsify their transportation logs. Cefalu complained to OSHA and was ordered reinstated …

Checking up on alleged leave abuser? Document why you suspect particular employee

08/06/2010

Do you think some employees may be taking advantage of your paid leave plan? If so, it’s OK to set up a surveillance program to catch the worst offenders. Just make sure you document why a particular employee’s behavior is suspicious. Good reasons to check up include “coincidental” timing like absences clustered around weekends or holidays.

Loose lips lose lawsuits: Screen performance reviews for FMLA comments

08/03/2010
Comments supervisors make on performance evaluations can come back to haunt the company—especially if they concern the FMLA. That’s why HR should carefully review performance evaluations and tell supervisors to zip it when tempted to gripe about FMLA leave.

Document rationale for all discipline to show it wasn’t a pretext for bias

06/29/2010

If you carefully document disciplinary actions and punish all employees fairly, courts will usually uphold your decisions. That’s because an employee who challenges the reason for her discharge has to show that the reason wasn’t legitimate—that, rather, the rationale was merely a pretext for some form of discrimination. And it takes more than just coincidence to do that.