Posted on June 16, 2017 by Julie Brook, Esq.
When vetting job applicants, employers want to use as many tools as possible. In addition to testing for particular skills, employers may consider intelligence or personality tests. But these types of tests may be a bad idea: they have questionable benefits and can put the employer in legal hot water. Continue reading →
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Filed under: Compliance/Best Practices, Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: employment discrimination, employment testing, HE, honestly test, human resources, intelligence test, job applicant, personality test, pre-employment testing, psychological testing | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 24, 2017 by Julie Brook, Esq.
A possible accommodation for an employee’s disability may be the use of an assistive animal in the workplace. What considerations should go into deciding whether to allow this accommodation? Here’s a handy checklist to help employers respond—keeping in mind that they have only 10 days in which to do so. Continue reading →
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Filed under: Compliance/Best Practices, Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: Americans with Disabilities Act, disability discrimination, disabled employee, employees, HR, human resources, interactive process, reasonable accommodation, service animals | Leave a comment »
Posted on April 10, 2017 by Julie Brook, Esq.
Being a working parent is challenging, but California law provides some help. There are legal protections for employees who are parents of school-aged children and are juggling the demands of school issues and work. Here’s a look at the legal protections and what employers are required to provide. Continue reading →
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Filed under: Compliance/Best Practices, Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: employee leave, HR, human resources, leave laws, school activities, school emergencies, working parents, workplace policies | Leave a comment »
Posted on March 13, 2017 by Julie Brook, Esq.
Employers not only may be held liable for workplace harassment, but they have the potential for separate liability for not taking reasonable steps to prevent the harassment from occurring. Govt C §12940(k). One step every employer should take is to draft and disseminate an anti-harassment policy. Note that the mere existence of a policy prohibiting harassment isn’t enough to shield the employer from liability. To work as a shield, the policy must be adequate and it must be distributed to employees. Does your client’s policy include all of the elements in this checklist? Continue reading →
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Filed under: Compliance/Best Practices, Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: employee handbook, employment policy, harassment policy, HR, human resources, sexual harassment | 2 Comments »
Posted on January 11, 2017 by Julie Brook, Esq.
Employers often set up an “introductory” or “probationary” period for initial evaluation of new employees. There’s often a performance evaluation at the end of this period, and employers may believe they have every right to let an employee go if this evaluation is negative. But watch out: Unless employers take the proper precautions, probationary periods may create implied contractual rights to employment on successful completion of the probationary period. In other words, employers may be stuck with the employee despite a poor post-probationary period evaluation. Continue reading →
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Filed under: Compliance/Best Practices, Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: at-will employment, employee handbook, employee on probation, employment policies, human resources, implied contract, probationary period | 2 Comments »
Posted on April 15, 2016 by Julie Brook, Esq.
Sabbaticals have been traditionally used in the academic setting to give university teachers one year of paid leave to study or travel for every seven years worked. Now some private, nonacademic employers—particularly in the “new economy”—are grabbing onto the idea as yet another creative perk for employees. Continue reading →
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Filed under: Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: employee benefits, employment benefits, HR, human resources, paid time off, PTO, sabbatical leave, vacation leave | Leave a comment »
Posted on March 23, 2016 by Julie Brook, Esq.
Employers are often asked to allow an employee to telecommute as a reasonable accommodation for a disability. Should employers always grant such requests? What considerations come into play? Here’s a checklist to help employers consider and respond to a request to telecommute as an accommodation. Continue reading →
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Filed under: Compliance/Best Practices, Employment Law, Legal Topics | Tagged: disability discrimination, employment discrimination, HR, human resources, interactive process, reasonable accommodation, telecommute agreement, telecommuting | Leave a comment »
When vetting job applicants, employers want to use as many tools as possible. In addition to testing for particular skills, employers may consider intelligence or personality tests. But these types of tests may be a bad idea: they have questionable benefits and can put the employer in legal hot water. Continue reading 
