Q: I received shares of Prudential stock a few years ago because I had converted a group policy to a personal policy. If I sell the shares now, do I have to pay tax on...
Sir Ernest Shackleton never did get to walk across the South Pole. The explorer’s huge ego had betrayed him when he set off for Antarctica in the dead of winter,...
Power listening is listening with empathy, putting yourself in the other person's shoes, and responding with what you understand the other person has said. The best...
The Supreme Court last month handed employers more power to set and enforce policies that deny rehiring to employees fired for misconduct. The court said such...
Americans can speak their minds as they wish in many places, but your workplace isn't one of them. First Amendment free-speech rights do not extend to the private...
Issue: Some state rules seem to clash with federal rules over whether you can require employees to accept pay via direct deposit. Risk: By following your state law, in...
Issue: Court raises threshold for employees to qualify for FMLA leave. Benefit: Workers can take FMLA leave if they have a serious condition causing three consecutive...
Issue: Personal relationships between employees and their bosses are ripe conditions for legal trouble. Risk: Any form of quid pro quo ("this for that") exchange of...
Issue: Some courts consider agreements, signed or unsigned, to be valid, binding contracts. Risk: A manager's verbal promise could lock your company into legal...
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says you must make accommodations to let disabled employees perform the essential functions of their jobs. But regular, on-time...
If employees' on-site amorous actions are making you or their co-workers uncomfortable, don't be afraid to tell the lovebirds to withhold their romance for more private,...
Issue: A new court ruling makes it more difficult to stop former employees from blitzing your workplace with e-mail messages, including those that criticize ...
Issue: If managers "go public" about employee discipline, it could spark an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit. Risk: Jury awards and damaged employee morale, leading to...
Issue: Even if it employs fewer than 50 people, your organization could be subject to FMLA compliance. Risk: Being affiliated with another organization could mean that,...
If your company has fewer than 50 workers, yet is somehow linked to another employer or location, you may incorrectly believe that you don't need to comply with ...
It's true that your company could be held liable if it rejects an applicant based on inaccurate data in his background check. But don't stop doing background ...
Issue: Unless your policy prevents it, employees can work a second job while out on medical-related FMLA leave. Risk: Reduced productivity as employees "work" the...
Courts typically don't consider pregnancy alone to be a "serious medical condition" qualifying for job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)....
Don't allow employees to use their disabilities as justification for poor behavior, especially if it clearly threatens your workplace. Even if an employee is ...
