Replace Candy Crush high score with email contacts on a personal iPhone used for work (BYOD), and you have the issue that a federal court in Texas recently tackled. The answer follows after the jump… * * * This case presents a set of facts not unlike those which could…
The Employer Handbook Blog
#WWHRD: You just discovered your employee’s angry racist Ferguson tweet
Last night, Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan came to me in a dream. You see, we were at a video arcade, the two of them playing the classic, Street Fighter. I had next. Mr. Gorbachev was playing as Zangief and President Reagan was Guile. Because, of course. So, just as the…
Train your supervisors not to shoot at those who complain about discrimination
Just another HR Pro Tip from your old buddy, Meyer. Hey, what would you guys do without me? Sage advice for American businesses coming up after the jump… * * * Under the law, it’s unlawful to take adverse action against an employee who complains about discrimination in the workplace.…
In the County of Yolo, 100 hugs and a painfully awkward kiss aren’t sexual harassment #YOLO
What else is there to blog about after reading a federal court opinion about Yolo (You Only Live Once) and sexual harassment? Geez. Last night, I could have peed plutonium while flaming monkeys sprang forth from my word hole, and I still would have blogged Yolo. More on Yolo after…
Can you fire an employee who posts Nazi propaganda on Facebook?
Maybe you’ve heard about it. I’m giving a little spiel today on social media in the workplace with a few friends at an event in Philadelphia. If I play my cards right, I’ll do as little speaking as possible on the dais. Which means I’ll get my two cents in…
Five great resources for HR about employing veterans
In honor of Veterans Day… From the EEOC, “What You Should Know: EEOC and Employment Opportunities for Disabled Veterans“ Also from the EEOC, “Veterans and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): A Guide for Employers“ From Kevin Schmiegel & John Finneran (Forbes), “On Veterans Day, Recognizing The Employment Value Of…
Sexting, flirting, but no sexual harassment here.
To prove sexual harassment, a plaintiff must have been subjected to pervasive or severe behavior based on the plaintiff’s sex. Further, not only would an objective person have to find the behavior offensive, but the plaintiff must be offended as well. Usually, when a plaintiff claims sexual harassment, a court…
Accommodating a disabled employee generally does not require displacing another
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that companies provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee with a disability, if doing so will allow the employee to perform the essential functions of the job. The ADA contemplates a number of different types of reasonable accommodations. One such accommodation is a transfer…
Check out the EEOC’s playbook for combatting LGBT discrimination
Even without a federal law that specifically bans discrimination in the workplace based on sexual orientation or gender identify, it’s no secret that one of the EEOC’s top priorities is to protect LGBT workers from discrimination. And the EEOC is being quite transparent about it, with a new guide for…
85,000 reasons to nix inflexible employee-leave policies
Just go ahead, and kill them dead! But before I get to that, I want to quickly plug our free event next week on November 12, 2014. I’ll give you four reasons to attend: Chai R. Feldblum, Commissioner, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Richard F. Griffin, Jr., General Counsel, National…