How Do We Handle Drug or Alcohol Impairment in the Workplace?

Here is a question we received via email from a company with multiple locations in different states: We are a manufacturing company with facilities in multiple states. We have had a number of incidents when supervisors have suspected an employee was impaired while working due to alcohol or drug use. We are particularly concerned about…

Read More

Pros and Cons About Zero Tolerance Policies

Recently, a white employee was fired under a company’s zero-tolerance policy when he was overheard discussing a rap artist on a company phone. In another incident, a school security guard in Madison, Wisconsin, who was Black, was fired under the school district’s zero tolerance policy when he objected to a student referring to him using…

Read More

Why Do You Need a Handbook Disclaimer and What Should Be In It Anyway?

If you’re like most employers right now, you’re in the process of reviewing your Employee Handbook to see if it needs to be updated. A recent Alabama state court decision offers valuable lessons to all employers with employee handbooks (not just those in Alabama) on the importance of a properly drafted handbook disclaimer. Now, in…

Read More

How to Minimize Your Risk in an Offer Letter

You have found the best candidate for the job you’re filling, and your offer is accepted, but sometimes unpredictable things happen. For example: What if you need to rescind an offer of employment? What if a candidate starts before their background check is complete and they don’t meet the requirements of the job when the…

Read More

Contractor Agreements Subject to Federal/State Law Prohibitions on Confidentiality and Nondisparagement

In yet another example of laws blurring the distinction between employees and independent contractors, organizations need to beware that the prohibitions on confidentiality and nondisparagement agreements embodied in the federal Speak Out Act and various state laws often are equally applicable to independent contractor agreements. The motive behind these prohibitions is driven by the egregiousness…

Read More

Employers, Don’t Forget About the Flu!

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers did not have flu-specific policies and procedures (healthcare employers being one significant exception). However, seasonal flu can be a serious and dangerous illness, and employers should not treat it lightly. Many of the lessons we collectively learned from COVID-19 are equally applicable to the flu. And employers should…

Read More

Changes in Gun Laws Affect the Workplace

Recent changes in state and federal laws have affected an individual’s ability to carry firearms in public and the workplace. These changes should prompt all employers to review their policies on guns in the workplace, with the overall goal of balancing individuals’ gun rights with maintaining a safe workplace. Federal Gun Laws Employers have a…

Read More

Should Your Workplace Require Flu Shots?

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported the start of the most severe flu season in over a decade, leading employers of all types to decide whether they should mandate flu shots for their workforce. The flu season typically runs between October and May with a peak in January and February,…

Read More