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In May of 2007 in response to a perceived 'potential for greater discrimination against working parents and others with caregiving responsibilities', the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued new enforcement guidance addressing Unlawful Disparate Treatment of Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities (EEOC-A, 2007). On April 22, 2009, the EEOC issued additional guidance to employers, Employer Best Practices for Workers with Caregiving Responsibilities, offering 'proactive measures that go beyond federal nondiscrimination requirements' (EEOC B, 2009). These guidelines are designed to reduce employers' exposure to litigation for 'violations against caregivers, and to remove barriers to equal employment opportunity' (EEOC B, 2009). This paper examines the initial guidance provided by the EEOC with respect to individuals with caregiving responsibilities, recent court cases involving the issue, and the best practices suggestions recently issued by the EEOC., INTRODUCTION In May of 2007 in response to a perceived 'potential for greater discrimination against working parents and others with caregiving responsibilities', the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) [...]

Complying with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) continues to be a challenge for employers. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, the U.S. Depart of Labor's Wage and Hour Division (WHD) recouped back wages totaling $185,287,827 for 228,645 workers. While this amount is down from the $220,613,703 recouped in FY 2007, it still represents a 40 percent increase over the FY 2001 amount. Since FY 2001, WHD has recouped more than $1.4 billion in back wages for over two million workers (DOL News Release, 2009). Back wages associated with overtime violations accounted for 88 percent of all FLSA back wages collected and 93 percent of all workers due FLSA back wages (DOL Results Page, 2009). In addition to the back wages recouped by the federal government, employers in a variety of industries all across the United States have over the last ten years been staggered by large settlements awarded to employees in class action litigation estimated to be as high as $319 million in 2007 and even higher in 2008 (Seyfarth Shaw (2008). The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of the challenges employers have faced in recent years with respect to FLSA compliance and what organizations can do to facilitate compliance with the FLSA., INTRODUCTION Complying with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) continues to be a challenge for employers. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, the U.S. Depart of Labor's Wage and Hour Division [...]

Former Supreme Court Justice, Lewis Powell described the federal judiciary and the United States Supreme Court as perhaps 'the most important instrument for social, economic, and political change' (Lazarus, 2008). Recent terms of the Supreme Court have produced a number of important decisions impacting decision making with respect to an organization's human resources. For example, in the 2007/2008 term, the Court issued important decisions involving age discrimination and retaliation. These decisions have been characterized as expanding an employer's burden of proof in responding to allegations and potentially increasing the cost to defend themselves in responding to allegations of discrimination (Smith, 2008-B & AHI's Employment Law Today, 2008). The purpose of this paper is to examine the Court's decisions in these two areas and to present policy and practice suggestions for organizations to reduce their exposure to litigation and cost in the future., INTRODUCTION Former Supreme Court Justice, Lewis Powell described the federal judiciary and the United States Supreme Court as perhaps 'the most important instrument for social, economic, and political change' (Lazarus, [...]

The percentage of sexual harassment allegations filed by workers under the age of eighteen has increased dramatically since 2001. It is generally accepted that attitudes toward work and many basic work related behaviors are learned early in life. Because of that, the initial job experiences that young workers encounter are important in shaping their future behavior in the workplace. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) Youth@Work initiative and to present policy and practice suggestions that employers can utilize to reduce their exposure to litigation and create positive first work experiences for young adults., INTRODUCTION The first job is a rite of passage for any teenager, giving young workers their first taste of real responsibility and teaching them some important financial lessons. But as [...]

ABSTRACT Making an accurate hiring decision is extremely important for most employers. The cost associated with making a poor hiring decision from a productivity, customer service, and liability prospective have [...]

ABSTRACT According to a 2002 report by TransUnion, one of the U.S.'s three credit bureaus, the No. 1 underlying source of identity fraud is theft of employer records. Human Resource [...]

ABSTRACT For most non-union employers, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) is probably not the federal statute that has drawn a great deal of attention in recent years. Given the [...]

ABSTRACT The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) provides that, with certain exceptions, employers of 100 or more workers must give at least 60 days advance notice of a [...]

ABSTRACT Employee allegations of sexual harassment by supervisors and co-workers continue to be a complex human resource management problem for employers. While recent Supreme Court decisions in Burlington Industries, Inc. [...]

ABSTRACT Allegations of harassment in violation of federal anti-discrimination legislation continue to be a daunting complex human resource management problem for decision makers. While the 1998 Supreme Court decisions in [...]

ABSTRACT Numerous reports in the popular press have alluded to a rise in the number of frivolous lawsuits being filed in the United States. Employers have lamented for years that [...]

ABSTRACT This paper examines the stock market reactions to announcements regarding employment discrimination. The study finds that there are no statistically significant excess returns associated with settlement announcements and decision [...]

The purpose of this paper is to examine current substance abuse issues of which management should be cognizant and to provide the most recent policy and practice suggestions to manage the problems created by workplace substance abuse. The issues to be examined include economic and hidden costs, legal, and employee relations. Practical suggestions for employers to deal with substance abuse are a zero tolerance policy, educational training, and employee assistance programs (EAPs). Other related policy issues are tips on how to deal with employees who report to work unfit, what to do if illegal drugs are found at work, and how to deal with serious drug problems., INTRODUCTION On Mother's Day, May 9, 1999, another substance abuse tragedy occurred in the workplace. On this occasion, the workplace was a bus owned by Custom Bus Charters with 43 [...]