http://www.elinfonet.com/ Employment Law Articles covering topics from age discrimination to WARN. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:07:30 EST en-us http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/325786979/newscount.php Article: 7083 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) In an unpublished opinion, the 3d U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a lower court’s determination that an associate professor’s termination was appropriate, even though the professor claimed that he was disabled by agoraphobia. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7083 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/325775786/newscount.php Article: 7082 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Last month President Bush signed into law the Heroes Earnings and Assistance and Relief Act of 2008 (HEART or the Heroes Act). The Act's provisions impact benefits under 401(k) plans. In addition, Health FSAs, group health plans, and cafeteria plans may also be impacted by some Heroes Act changes. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7082 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/325775788/newscount.php Article: 7081 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) On May 15 of this year, the California Supreme Court held that same-sex couples must be permitted to legally marry in California. According to the decision, the failure to designate the relationship of a same-sex couple as a marriage violates the equal protection clause of the California Constitution. When the decision takes effect on June 14, 2008, California will join Massachusetts as the only states that recognize same-sex marriages. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7081 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/324898252/newscount.php Article: 7080 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) This update discusses recent developments in immigration law from the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and State. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7080 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/324881765/newscount.php Article: 7079 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) Employers continue to have the right to access, monitor, and review an employee’s use of e-mail and text messages when that employee is using company-provided technology. Yet, recent publicity of a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision has created a new buzz about the privacy rights of employees. This new decision, however, does not create an exception to the generally accepted rule: employees do not have an expectation of privacy in the communications that they send with company-provided technology. To the contrary, it outlines the importance of consistent and appropriate enforcement of electronic use policies. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7079 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/324881766/newscount.php Article: 7078 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) It's difficult to drive anywhere these days without seeing fellow motorists intensely engaged, if not distracted by, cell phone conversations. And, amazingly, some drivers find it feasible (or think they do) to multi-task by typing Blackberry or text messages from behind the wheel. Do you think some or most of your employees may be doing this? If so, are they just risking having an accident for which they may be responsible, or are they also putting your company at risk as well? This latter question was addressed and answered by a decision of the Georgia Court of Appeals. Hunter v. Modern Continental Construction Co. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7078 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/324881767/newscount.php Article: 7077 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) A little-noticed part of the recently-enacted federal Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) has substantially increased the potential monetary exposure for employers who violate the federal Fair Labor Standards Act's child-labor restrictions. These changes took effect when President Bush signed the law on May 21, 2008. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7077 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/324881768/newscount.php Article: 7076 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) In a previous issue we took a look at several pending laws that would drastically change the labor and employment scene ("Cute Titles for Bad Laws" by John Zenor, Labor Letter, May 2008). This month we'll review a few more pieces of pending legislation. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7076 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/324881769/newscount.php Article: 7075 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) In May, the U.S. Labor Department rolled out its FirstStep Recordkeeping, Reporting and Notices elaws Advisor. This Advisor is another attempt by the DOL to help employers comply with some of the major federal labor and employment laws. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7075 http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/EmploymentLawArticles/~3/324041540/newscount.php Article: 7074 Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST elin@elinfonet.com (Employment Law Information Network) The Supreme Court’s Ledbetter decision invalidates traditional class claims of pay discrimination and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs' (OFCCP) pay discrimination standards. http://www.elinfonet.com/newscount.php?popID=7074