Archive for January 2018
An Ounce of Prevention…Polices and Procedures can Help Stop Workplace Harassment Before it Starts
As we’ve discussed numerous times before, addressing sexual harassment in the workspace is no longer optional or something that any business can afford to pay lip service to without serious financial and reputational risk. Payouts and settlements in sexual harassment lawsuits can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and, in today’s highly charged atmosphere, ruin…
Read MoreThe Affordable Care Act: major actions in 2017 and what to expect in 2018
Throughout 2017, the Trump Administration and the Republican-led Congress continued to pursue one of the primary pillars in their party’s platform: repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act (ACA). While Congress had visualized repeal and replace efforts as the first priority on the agenda in 2017 under the then newly seated Trump Administration, multiple attempts…
Read MoreInclement Weather Policy Should Factor In Safety, Pay
Employers look for ways for nonexempt and exempt employees to work remotely An inclement weather policy has two dimensions: The first and most important is employee safety; the second is pay. Employers should give serious thought to allowing employees to stay home on days when there is a significantly elevated risk of a traffic accident,…
Read MoreDOL Opinion Letters Explain Deductions, Bonuses, Exemptions
Letters issued for first time since administration of President George W. Bush The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division may be shifting its emphasis from enforcement to technical assistance, reissuing 17 opinion letters Jan. 5 that clarify the DOL’s stance on salary deductions for full days off, bonuses and the administrative exemption from overtime.…
Read MoreHow to Investigate Sexual Harassment Allegations
Make sure you have the knowledge and training you need before any complaints surface. The general manager of a Massachusetts car dealership testified at trial that he “honestly didn’t believe” a finance manager when she told him that her supervisor often commented on her anatomy, tried to throw coins down her blouse and suggested they…
Read More8 Workplace Legal Trends for 2018
Legal protections for employees are likely to expand at the state level in 2018 but shrink under federal law, employment law attorneys say. At the federal level, expect a more employer-friendly Department of Labor (DOL), a new proposed overtime rule and greater deference by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to employee handbook policies. But…
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