Policies & Procedures

Businessman Overcoming Difficulties Due To COVID-19

COVID-19 Exposure Control & Response Plan: What Is It and Why Does Every Employer Need One?

by Conn Maciel Carey in Coronavirus (COVID-19), Legal, Risk Management, Safety & Security. Posted June 9, 2020

As states across the country begin to loosen or lift stay-at-home and shutdown orders, many workplaces that had been idled, have just begun to or will soon resume operations. Many states and localities are setting as a precondition for reopening, a requirement that they develop and implement a written, site-specific COVID-19 Exposure Control and Response ...

Face Mask Policy Leads To COVID-19 Lawsuit Against Texas Restaurant

by Fisher Phillips in Coronavirus (COVID-19), Food & Beverage, Legal, Safety & Security. Posted May 28, 2020

Claiming that her employer prohibited her from wearing a face covering at work despite federal recommendations and local orders that such coverings should be worn by employees, a Texas cook just sued the restaurant that she says took her off the schedule after she objected to the company policy – and scored a victory in ...

March Update on How Employers Can Respond to COVID-19 with FAQs

by Kara Maciel in Coronavirus (COVID-19), Legal, Risk Management, Safety & Security. Posted March 10, 2020

Since publishing our previous post last month, there have been a number of significant developments related to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus – now officially called “COVID-19.” Notably, during the week of February 23, 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (“CDC”) reported community spread of the virus that causes COVID-19 in California, Oregon, and Washington. ...

If The Shoe Fits: How Footwear Policy May Lead To Wage And Hour Violations

by Fisher Phillips in Food & Beverage, Human Resources, Legal, Lodging. Posted June 18, 2019

Hotel and restaurant employers commonly require employees to wear uniforms, some as simple as a shirt with company logo, others requiring a more complete look: jacket or blouse and pants or skirt, or dress. Some employers, however, fail to consider the consequences of imposing the cost of the uniform on an employee. Under the federal ...

5-Step Plan To Address Growing Sexual Harassment Concerns

by Fisher Phillips in Human Resources. Posted December 12, 2017

For several months now, it seems that each new day has brought about a fresh round of reporting on yet another high-profile sexual harassment accusation. What started in October with substantiated allegations against movie producer Harvey Weinstein has blossomed into dozens of claims against Hollywood executives, actors, comedians, politicians, media personalities, and corporate executives. The ...

Steps Employers Can Take to Prevent and Respond to Claims of Sexual Harassment

by Andrea Kirshenbaum in Human Resources, Insurance & Loss Prevention, Legal. Posted December 7, 2017

High-profile instances of inappropriate sexual behavior and sexual harassment in the workplace continue to grab headlines. While media coverage has focused on cases from the media, entertainment and political arenas, every employer should have heightened awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace at this time, regardless of industry. Of course, the media coverage of the ...

What American Companies Need to Know about the EU’s New General Data Protection Regulation

by Jeffrey Dretler in Legal, Risk Management, Safety & Security, Technology. Posted November 2, 2017

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a new data privacy and security law in Europe that will go into force on May 25, 2018. Every organization that does business with EU customers, regardless of the home base of the organization, and regardless of the size of the organization, must come into compliance or risks ...

Accommodating Pregnancy Under State and Federal Law

by Lindsay Disalvo in Human Resources, Legal. Posted October 17, 2017

Laws requiring both public and private employers to accommodate their pregnant employees have become a trend over the past several years. Indeed, this past July, Massachusetts became the 22ndstate, along with the District of Columbia, to pass a law that requires an employer to engage in the interactive process and provide an accommodation to a pregnant ...

It’s time to wake up and figure out how GDPR affects you!

by Eddie Block in Legal, Technology. Posted September 23, 2017

You’ve heard about the GDPR, right? As I’ve spoken with people (security people and “civilians”), I’ve found many who had no idea that the GDPR was a thing. I know Americans tend to have a very US-centric view of the world, but the GDPR is critical for any business with a presence, customers, or clients in ...

Workplace Violence Occurring At Alarming Rate: Time For Employers To Be Proactive

by Travis Vance in Human Resources, Risk Management, Safety & Security. Posted June 27, 2017

It’s a news headline we’ve seen too often, including several times in recent weeks: another disgruntled employee or former employee has entered the workplace and killed or injured coworkers. What can you do to minimize the chances that your workplace will suffer such a tragedy? Employers Should Avoid “Wait-And-See” Approach Often the employee assailant previously ...