In yesterday’s CED , California attorney (and SPHR) Allison West offered tips for avoiding defamation, negligence, and fraud lawsuits. Today, her tips on recruiting, plus an introduction to a comprehensive desk reference on discrimination and harassment—specifically for California employers...

Most employers are all too aware of the danger of discrimination lawsuits, but there are many other legal threats in the HR arena. In today’s CED , California attorney and SPHR Allison West briefs employers on defamation, negligence, and fraud lawsuits. West, principal of Employment Practices Specialists...

OFCCP remains focused on contractor compliance with affirmative action regulations for vets and employees with disabilities, says attorney Susan Fahey Desmond. And programmatic outreach is not enough anymore; OFCCP wants to see personal relationships with outreach resources and a system for monitoring...

OFCCP’s audits are getting tougher, says attorney Susan Fahey Desmond, including more in-depth evaluations, greater focus on proactive steps to reach goals, and detailed compensation audits in virtually every recent audit. Remember, says Desmond, who is a partner in the New Orleans office of national...

Yesterday , attorney Mark Schickman introduced us to the concept of “beauty bias”—a phrase coined by Stanford law professor Deborah Rhode. Today, a look at the flip side of the equation: Can an employee sue for being perceived as too attractive? Find out below, courtesy of Schickman’s...

We have eliminated many forms of workplace discrimination and made great strides toward erasing others, says attorney Mark Schickman. Nonetheless, one form of discrimination—“Beauty Bias,” as coined by Stanford law professor Deborah Rhode—remains alive, well, and possibly inherent...

Yesterday , we looked at the first 5 of the top 10 hiring mistakes you should be careful to avoid. Today, the rest of the top 10, and an introduction to a webinar that will help clear up a new source of problems and confusion for California employers: medical marijuana. For numbers 1-5, click here. This...

As the economy gradually shows signs of improvement, more and more companies are preparing to hire again. So now is a great time to revisit best practices in the hiring process—as well as the most common mistakes you should be careful to avoid. This list is courtesy of Matthew A. Goodin, an attorney...

Yesterday , we talked about how comments like “You don’t look gay” or “You don’t sound black” may not technically be illegal, but are nonetheless inappropriate at work. Intent isn’t always the problem. A 2010 study conducted by the UCLA Law/RAND Center for Law...

California, along with twenty other states and the District of Columbia, bars discrimination in both private and public employment on the basis of sexual orientation. At a recent SHRM Legal and Legislative Conference, attorneys Michael Cohen and Marc Scheiner noted that there's a new level of awareness...

What is the sandwich generation? You've probably heard of Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y, so where does this whole new group fit in? Well, the answer isn't as simple as a generation defined by birthdates; the "sandwich generation" refers to the group of people (generally...

Yesterday , we looked at the first 5 of Lyne Richardson and Jolina Abrena’s tips for minimizing potential liability for discrimination and harassment at your workplace. Today, the rest of the top 10, plus an introduction to a streamlined, yet comprehensive, A.B. 1825 training resource. Richardson...

All California employers should be familiar with the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), which prohibits employment discrimination and harassment. The FEHA offers employees greater protection and relief than its federal counterpart, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. One critical...

by Laura E. Innes of Simpson, Garrity, Innes & Jacuzzi, PC What is “family responsibility discrimination” and what should your company be doing to comply with California law? Family responsibility discrimination occurs when an employee suffers an unlawful adverse employment action based...

Yesterday , attorney and trainer Allison West offered her "4 Serious Sins of Documentation." Today, her take on employee explanations, plus an invitation to join her at an informative, in-depth conference — specifically for California employers — in Berkeley next week. It's...

Lawsuits are down, but judgments are up. Training is the answer. This fall marks 20 years since the term "sexual harassment" entered the American lexicon in a big way. Americans came to know it through the testimony of Anita Hill, as she complained about alleged unwelcome advances from her...

A recent study shows the effect that sexual harassment has on workplace teams. In a word — conflict. If you need another reason to quell sexual harassment in your workplace — beyond a potentially monster lawsuit - Jana L. Raver and Michele J. Gelfand have it for you. Rever and Gelfand, both...

Progressive discipline is a multi-step process. Today, we'll look at how to properly implement it, and the need for proper documentation. The usual steps are first oral and then written warnings, followed, if need be, by suspension without pay and finally by termination. Supervisors need to learn...

You can't ... and you shouldn't want to ... just terminate problem employees. There's a better way. Here's how to train on it. Attendance problems. Poor job performance. Safety violations. Abuse or theft of company property. If you've got problems like these at your workplace, you're...

Yesterday , we looked at 3 common EEO investigation errors, courtesy of attorney Jonathan Segal. Today, the final 3 on his list — plus an introduction to an important webinar later this week, specifically for California employers, on the rapidly approaching EEO-1 filing deadline. Segal, a sought...