In honor of Mother’s Day, we consider how employers can create workplace policies that recognize the needs of employees – mothers, fathers, even neighbors – with caregiving responsibilities. Hiring should focus on the applicant’s qualifications, not pregnancy, child care, or other family issues. Assumptions and stereotypes are dangerous. Not all women take on caregiving [...]
With all the hubbub about the NLRB’s new poster requirement, now is a great time for employers to make sure they are aware of all the other posting requirements. These requirements can be made on the federal, state, or local level. To add to the confusion, some posters are required only for certain industries or [...]
It’s springtime, and that means high school and college students are applying for summer internships in large numbers. If you are planning to hire an unpaid intern, you must be certain the intern is not an “employee” under state or federal labor laws. Otherwise, you will be required to pay minimum wage and overtime. Many, [...]
1. “Can you?” As a conscientious employer aware of the complicated web of employment laws, you probably focus heavily on whether an action is lawful. Committing an unlawful action – even by accident – can be very costly for employers. (See this month’s article on Novartis’ $99 million settlement!) Consulting with an attorney in your [...]
January always means new employment laws and this year has been no exception. In addition to new state laws on the books, federal agencies have been stepping up enforcement of existing laws. Increased enforcement can have a bigger impact on employers than new laws. While you are updating your policies and training to reflect new [...]