human resources

November 3, 2014

Categories

Compliance

BYOD—Where’s The Party?

Bring your own device (BYOD) is anything but fun. Every employer needs to address employees’ personal communication devices. More and more employers have decided it’s better to let employees use their own devices to manage their business and personal lives. Employers and employees risk privacy breeches along with countless other headaches. Policies to protect both parties are difficult to write and manage. A one size policy does not fit all. The nature of the business and what kind of data it uses will determine what legal obligations exist. Developing a BYOD policy requires legal advice after the employer decides in […]

September 23, 2014

Categories

Civility

The Hourly Rate of Poverty

Minimum wage began in 1938. Employees engaged in or producing goods for interstate commerce were granted a minimum wage of $0.25 per hour. That same year, President Roosevelt stated, “I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished.” after federal agencies studied income levels. Poverty lines before 1958 did not take family size into consideration. After that time, the gender of head of household as well as family size were factors. Later, gender was dropped from the quotient. The earliest poverty threshold for a woman with two children was $2393 in 1961. By that time, the minimum wage rose to […]

August 22, 2014

Categories

Compliance

Pregnant Pause

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued new guidance on pregnancy discrimination. The new guidance broadened the definition of pregnancy to include all aspects of the reproductive process, including contraception, termination of pregnancy, childbirth and post- birth. In 1978, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964, to include the protection on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions under the protected class of sex. EEOC issued guidance in 1983, before the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act (ADAAA) were enacted. This guidance states though pregnancy is […]

July 16, 2014

Categories

Compliance

The Buck Starts Here

Every step of the employment process is important and the employment application is no exception. Most employers use employment applications. It is an integral part of the hiring process; a tool that should not be overlooked. A recent New Jersey court decision emphasized the importance of a well-written employment application. In the Rodriguez v. Raymours Furniture Company, Inc. case, the furniture store’s employment application included this statement: I agree that any claim or lawsuit relating to my service with Raymour & Flannigan must be filed no more than six(6) months after the date of employment action that is the subject […]