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The Employer Handbook Blog

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I’ll hang out for a bit while you grab the maximum-leave policy in your employee handbook

Don’t have one? Good. You can skip today’s post. As for the rest of you, say a silent prayer to whatever higher power you believe in, email me a thank you, and read on… Yesterday, some of my buddies and I delivered the second of two continuing legal education sessions…

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Fact or Fiction: If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

I’m dusting one off today. It’s time for another edition of “Fact or Fiction” a/k/a “Quick Answers to Quick Questions” a/k/a QATQQ f/k/a “I don’t feel like writing a long blog post.” When a plaintiff claims that she was sexually harassed by a co-worker, the employer may have an affirmative…

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Third Circuit: A single slur – just one bad word — can create a hostile work environment.

For the first time, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals has recognized that “an extreme isolated act of discrimination can create a hostile work environment.” Yep, one word can cost you many dollars! In this particular case (Castleberry v. STI Group; opinion here), the plaintiffs claimed that, when working on a…

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This’ll teach you not to snoop on your employee’s personal emails…

  Imagine that one of your top salespeople leaves to go to work for a competitor. At least you had the foresight to have her sign a nonsolicitation agreement as a condition of employment. So, your customers are safe. Then again…You have this sneaking suspicion that this salesperson may be emailing…

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Want to wear a Phillie Phanatic hat to work for religious reasons? That could get you fired in Minnesota.

Baseball as a religion? Remember what Annie Savoy from the great Bull Durham said: “I believe in the Church of Baseball. I’ve tried all the major religions, and most of the minor ones. I’ve worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms, and Isadora Duncan. I know things. For instance, there are…

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SURVEY: If you could attend just one HR-compliance training, what would it be?

Always one to procrastinate on submitting a presentation idea to speak at a SHRM conference, I’ve got only a few days left to submit some killer proposals before the next deadline. And. this year, I’m looking to you guys for some help. So, please take this quick one-question survey and…

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The stage is now set for the Supreme Court to resolve gay rights at work

That according to Lambda Legal, a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of the LGBT community. From last week’s Lambda Legal press release: Lambda Legal announced it will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit denied its…

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Can a LinkedIn invitation to connect violate an agreement not to solicit?

  Your former employee, the one whom you paid an extra boat load of money to sign a non-solicitation agreement, just sent a bunch of LinkedIn invites to connect with some of your current employees. Has he violated his non-solicitation agreement? That was the precise issue in a case decided…

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A guy walks into a bar … and gets discriminated against because of his sex (allegedly)

Proving that it’s not just women who are victims of sex discrimination, I’ve got news of a new EEOC lawsuit alleging that a company refused to hire a male applicant because of his sex. Unlike yesterday’s post, this has nothing to do with Silicon Valley. Silicone, however? Maybe. You see, that “bar”…

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