The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently updated employees’ guide to southern manners. Don’t worry, employees should still say “yes ma’am” and “no ma’am.” But you know the old saying that you should never discuss politics or religion at work? Well employees better forget that saying ever existed. Not only should employees discuss their religion
DOMA Stricken Down: What does this Mean for Texas Employers?
On June 26, 2013, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in the case of Windsor v. United States holding the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”) unconstitutional. This decision will have implications for employee benefit plans and, specifically, benefit plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). The extent
What Can Be Done About a Workplace Bully?
With bullying in the news of late, I was recently asked how employers should deal with a star employee that bullies or berates co-workers.
Each August my wife begins a new school year with 22 bright shiny faces that all come from different home environments. Some are very polite. Some are sneaky. Some are bullies.
Can an Owner be Personally Liable for Wages?
You’ve set up a your business as an LLC or a Corporation and followed all of the legal requirements to keep the business up under Texas law. Your lawyer tells you the company will protect you from personal liability to your creditors as long as you follow all the required formalities.
After a few years
Should I Give References After Separation?
Periodically, an employer will ask about giving references for an employee. Some feel compelled to provide at least a neutral review, others feel that they have to protect the world from making the same bad decision they did. Still others think it is the “law” to provide the dates of employment and whether the person
Are “Working Interviews” Legal?
One of my dental practice clients called this week to inquire about an idea he heard of recently called a “working interview.” The idea is to have an hygienist come in for a couple of days to find out whether they are good at their job without officially hiring them. What is better, my client
Are “90 Day Probationary Periods” for New-Hires Required By law?
Many of my clients put new-hires on a 90 day probationary period. They do this either for their own convenience or because they mistakenly believe the law requires it. The idea that it is “required” by a law is a myth.
Now that we have that out of the way, is there a reason
Who Wants to Play Survivor – At Work?
Sometimes posts should just be fun. One of my co-workers forwarded me a story yesterday on Lowering the Bar, a humor site for lawyers – about lawyers. Apparently, a law firm in San Mateo, California has decided to hire some new associate lawyers and they are doing so with a little twist . .
Transgender a “Protected Class?”
“Mia” Macy applied for a job with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms and interviewed as a male candidate. A former police detective from Phoenix relocating to San Francisco, Macy was repeatedly told by persons she interviewed with that she would be given the job she applied for. Some time after interviewing, but before
Internships – To Pay or Not to Pay?
With unemployment for people 20 – 24 hovering around 13.2%, college students are flocking to unpaid internships to gain some experience, stay busy, and better position themselves for jobs afterward. As recently reported by Josh Sanburn at Time MoneyLand and Steven Greenhouse in the NYT, however, these unpaid internships have serious legal problems.
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