The past few days have not been pretty for the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) and its controversial Notice of Employee Rights poster requirement. Last Friday, a South Carolina federal district court found the proposed notice-posting rule invalid. Today, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals entered an injunction temporarily barring the NLRB from enforcing the
Henderson, Franklin, Starnes & Holt, P.A.
A Note to Subscribers
Posted in Miscellaneous
We are currently working on a switch to a new feed management platform Aweber, from our current platform, Feedburner. Aweber will, among other things, allow us to get email notifications of blog posts out to you immediately, instead of the morning following the post.
This switch will eliminate your current subscription to the blog. Over…
20th Anniversary HR Law & Solutions a Great Success!
Posted in HR Seminars
Yesterday, Henderson Franklin’s Employment Law Practice Group hosted the 20th Anniversary of its HR Law & Solutions seminar at Sanibel Harbour Resort. The seminar was a great success! Over 300 attendees heard presentations on a variety of law topics, including retaliation, workers’ compensation, and immigration, and they tested their skills in a lively…
HR Law & Solutions 20th Anniversary: Will You Be #300?
Posted in HR Seminars
Preparation for the 20th Anniversary HR Law & Solutions seminar is well under way, and we have reached record numbers — with nearly a month to go! As of this post, we have 295 attendees registered. The good news is that we’ve secured additional space, so we can continue accepting registrations even after we hit 300. The…
Linguistic Challenges in the Workplace
Posted in Discrimination
Title VII, and comparable state laws, like the Florida Civil Rights Act, prohibit employer actions that have the purpose or effect of discriminating against persons because of their national origin. It is no secret that U.S. work forces are becoming increasingly more diverse. In response to the increased linguistic diversity of the workforce, many…
Department of Labor Announces H-1B Technical Skills Training Grants
Posted in Department of Labor
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced today that it has awarded more than $183 million in grants to industries in 28 states that rely on the H-1B visa program for skilled workers. The grants will be used to provide education, training and job placement assistance aimed at helping American workers fill jobs in high-growth fields…
A Potential Valentine’s Day Equation: flowers + chocolates = sexual harassment
Posted in Sexual Harassment, Workplace Policies
A guy may prefer barbecue-type holidays, such as Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, over Valentine’s Day. As employers, you probably should, too, even if it is for different reasons.
A CareerBuilder survey published in 2011 found approximately 40% of workers have dated at least one person with whom they have worked, and 18% reported dating at least two people with whom they have worked. Clearly, workplace romance is pervasive. With it can come a host of unwanted side-effects, including loss of productivity, ethical dilemmas, depressed morale, and sexual harassment claims.
Sexual harassment claims can arise in a variety of situations, including when a workplace romance goes south. They can also arise from what one employee might find to be a light-hearted joke, card or funny e-mail, sent to an employee who does not see the humor and might be completely offended. A sexual harassment claim can even arise when a thoughtful boss gives a Valentine’s Day gift to an employee for a job well done, and the message is misinterpreted.
Since Valentine’s Day is upon us, take this opportunity to carefully review your policies addressing sexual harassment and workplace romances. As you do, consider the following:
HR Law & Solutions 20th Anniversary: Registration Now Open!
Posted in HR Seminars
We are excited to announce we have just opened registration for the 20th Anniversary of our HR Law & Solutions Seminar! The seminar is March 27 at Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa. Topics and speakers include:
- Employment Law and Legislative Update presented by Attorneys Robert Shearman and John Agnew
- First Report of Injury: Best Practices to Save
…
Hiring again? Check Out 5 Questions to Ask Job Candidates in 2012
Posted in Hiring
Is hiring back on at your company? We hope so! With unemployment in Southwest Florida at its lowest level in three years, and with the economy showing signs of life, we wanted to take a minute to highlight an article on hiring we read in this month’s Gulfshore Business.
In Hiring Smart: 5 …
Supreme Court Recognizes “Ministerial Exception” as Bar to Employment Discrimination Claims
Posted in Discrimination
Earlier this month, the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous opinion expressly recognizing “a ministerial exception,” which bars “ministers” employed by faith based employers from suing for discrimination. In Hosanna-Tabor Church v. EEOC, the Supreme Court considered the case of Cheryl Perich, an elementary teacher at a Church School. Although Perich was also…