Policies

Reminder: NY Paid Family Leave Effective January 1
January 1, 2018
On January 1, New York State’s Paid Family Leave (“PFL”) Legislation went into effect. As a reminder, the law requires employers to include written PFL policies in their employee handbooks or other employee guidance and to post a notice about their PFL coverage in the workplace; a copy of the required poster can be obtained from the employer’s PFL insurance carrier.
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Oregon: New Timeframes for Responding to Public Records Requests
December 28, 2017
During the 2017 legislative session, the Oregon Legislature passed Senate Bill 481 which amends the current public records process and timelines.  Prior law required completion of the records request “as soon as practicable without unreasonable delay.”  The new law, effective January 1, 2018, retains that requirement, but adopts specific timeframes for acknowledging and responding to public records requests.
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What Can Employers Learn from the Recent Sexual Harassment Scandals?
November 16, 2017
With allegations of sexual harassment in the spotlight, agencies and companies are issuing statements and conducting research about sexual harassment.  Recently, the EEOC issued a “What You Should Know: What to Do if You Believe You have Been Harassed at Work” statement.
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Think Sexual Harassment Just Happens in Hollywood? Think Again.
November 7, 2017
Harvey Weinstein. Bill O’Reilly. Kevin Spacey. The rapid pace of sexual harassment allegations against high-profile figures in recent weeks could make an observer think that sexual harassment is an issue confined to the entertainment industry, the media, sports, and politics.
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Employee Fingerprinting and the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act: Class Action Suits Filed
October 8, 2017
On September 29, 2017, a group of employees at Peacock Foods filed a class action lawsuit claiming that the company’s collection of employee fingerprints for time-tracking purposes violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.
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Is An Employer Responsible When an Employee Doesn’t Report All Hours Worked?
October 3, 2017
Employers often place the burden on employees of recording hours worked.  Employee handbooks have provisions that require employees to record and report all time worked.  Employers may require employees to review and sign their timecards verifying their hours.  Policies may prohibit off-the-clock work and notify employees that they must report errors in pay.  But are these things enough to free employers from liability for unrecorded, unpaid wages?
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