Well, that didn’t take long. Late last month, I reported on a bill that had been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, known as the Social Networking Online Protection Act (SNOPA), that would prohibit employers, schools, and universities from requiring someone to provide a username, password or other access…
The Employer Handbook Blog
A Facebook firing? An employer in hot water? Ya don’t say…
Yesterday, I gave my social media in the workplace spiel to a great crowd in Hershey, PA, at the Banyan Consulting 12th Annual Conference. Not surprisingly, the majority of questions posed involved the attention that the National Labor Relations Board has paid to social-media-related employee discipline. And that reminded…
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act introduced in Congress
Earlier this week, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Susan Davis (D-CA), introduced the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act. What’s in the bill and how will it affect employers? Find out after the jump… * * * According to a press release from Rep. Nadler, the…
That’s what he said: “Oktoberfest” & “No OT for you!”
Cool image, huh? I drawed it myself. The fact that I took the time to do that suggests that I am in no condition to blog intelligently. Plus, Pandora is on the fritz, so I am all sorts of pissy. Therefore, before I turn out the lights and lock the…
NLRB: Barring employees from discussing salary is a bad idea
Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act protects the rights of employees to discuss wages and other benefits with each other and nonemployees. By maintaining a rule that restricts employee freedom in this regard, an employer violates Section 8(a)(1) of the Act. How does this play out in the real world?…
Report: Employees share WAY more Facebook info than they think
Maryland has a new law forbidding employers from demanding that job applicants and employees divulge online passwords. Two weeks ago, the federal government proposed similar legislation. And, last week, news surfaced that Delaware may be placing the same restrictions on employers. But who needs to demand online passwords, when, according…
That’s what she said: A hairy religious discrimination claim is settled
If only I had a nickel for every time someone asked me, “How do you have time to blog every day?” The answer is simple: Jolt Cola Juleps and rogue Keebler Elves I just enjoy writing. But even so, it can get tiring sometimes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZdjJdOzN5QI was discussing this with a…
No FMLA claim for employee who mistakenly thought he was fired
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before… Employee gets bad performance review. Employee laments to HR about the pressures of work. Employee emails a company vice president requesting that he stop propagating company “propaganda”. Employee accuses another employee of “dismantling the Spanish Department” Employee attempts to mass email the…
More office romances; more anti-harassment training
A recent survey by Workplace Options, shows that most Generation-Y employees believe that an office romance will have a positive influence on performance and overall workplace morale. Sounds like a Cialis commercial. Who says I need to wait for Valentine’s Day for this post? Losers, that’s who. Lock the broom…
New NLRB election rules may get derailed; plus more on SNOPA
Two quick updates for you today; one labor, one employment. Word has trickled in that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia held a conference call with lawyers from the National Labor Relations Board, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, and informed…