Thursday November 21, 2024

5th Circuit: Staying awake is an essential job function – even for disabled employees

Employers are required to reasonably accommodate disabled workers. But what happens when that disabled worker can’t do their job? Couldn’t perform essential duty Charles Clark, a diabetic, was a personnel manager at Champion National Security. He was caught sleeping on the job and was fired for violating the company’s alertness policy. Clark sued his employer […]

Survey: Half of gig workers say they want to unionize

More than half of gig economy workers responding to a recent survey said they believe the “alternative workforce” should unionize. And the desire to unionize extends to gig workers who say they are satisfied with their current job. Why? So they can get paid fairly, have some level of benefit coverage (about three-quarters of gig […]

Combating workplace violence: HR’s key role

From threats and intimidation to rapes and shootings, workplace violence is a growing concern among employers of all sizes, and in all industries. A recent survey from SHRM reported that nearly half of HR professionals said their organization had experienced a violent incident – with more than half of those occurring in the last year. […]

Mentors, sponsors, and coaches are critical to career development

How Much Support Do You Really Need to Get Ahead?  When it comes to career development, what gives you a leg up over your peers? Extra hours in the office? Consistent performance? The sheer luck of being in the “right place at the right time”? What if getting ahead at work means having the right […]

More biometric lawsuits against employers getting into court

Biometrics lawsuits are heating up, with plaintiffs filing actions against employers who are replacing older time and attendance systems with technology that relies on fingerprints, face scans or other individually unique biometric identification data. The suits, which join other actions against companies that collect and sell biometric data to third parties, have all been brought […]

The best benefit nobody’s using: How to fix your EAP

It’s no secret that employees are stressed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says job-related anxiety is the leading workplace health problem in the U.S. Not only is an abundance of stress not good for business and productivity, it can have detrimental effects on people’s long-term health. Underutilized services Employers have been working […]

Court: Apple violated wage and hour laws

The California Supreme Court recently ruled that tech giant Apple must pay its employees for mandatory bag searches. This decision came after a lawsuit was filed challenging Apple’s security policy, in which employees’ bags and personal Apple devices must be searched any time they leave the store. Off-the-clock searches These searches were being conducted off […]

How small businesses can attract top Millennial talent

Small businesses face a unique set of challenges when it comes to hiring – and retaining – top talent as they compete with larger companies with more resources and established brand names. Those challenges can become even more daunting for small businesses aiming to attract top talent from the millennial workforce. Why? Millennials continue to […]

Only 28% of employees say they feel connected to their company’s purpose

In order to cultivate a successful business with happy employees, it is highly important to have a clearly defined purpose. Many businesses don’t have a true strategy when it comes to describing their company purpose, choosing to fill in the blank with almost anything. Because many leaders have no connection with their outlined purpose, they […]

EEOC data show Title VII retaliation cases rising

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported in late January that it fielded 72,675 charges of workplace discrimination in 2019, the largest number alleging retaliation. Those figures don’t include any charges filed with state or local fair employment agencies, which EEOC does not report. The number was down slightly from 2018’s tally of more than […]