by Chelsea V. Brown
As summer heats up, temperatures start to rise, anticipation for family vacations and summer holidays grows, and the spirit of summer can be felt throughout the workplace. As the arrival of summer becomes increasingly evident in cubicles and corner offices, employees can become relaxed about workplace rules and conduct. In some instances, [...]

by Michael P. Maslanka
With the Final Four on Saturday and the NCAA national championship game on Monday night, basketball has been much in the news. And not far behind those stories is the unfolding saga of the Rutgers basketball program. Two articles by  The  New York Times writers Kate Zernike and Steve Eder, “Rutgers Tries to [...]

Everyone knows the clichés “cheaters never prosper” and “honesty is the best policy,” but that doesn’t mean employees always take those maxims to heart. Whether it’s padding an expense account, failing to clock out for lunch, or large-scale embezzling, some employees will cross the line into unethical territory. Take, for example, the case of the [...]

Employees’ postings on social media have been  called “online water-cooler talk,” essentially comparing it to office gossip. But most HR professionals have had to learn one big difference the hard way. Water-cooler talk doesn’t leave a permanent record, and social media does.  One way the two do compare is the common topic of supervisors. Unfortunately, [...]

by Joseph Godwin
Happy New Year! I hope the holiday season was a joy-filled one with plenty of time to spend with family and friends ― the most important people in our lives.
Now it’s January and time for making ― and implementing ― those dreaded annual “resolutions.” The economy, while slowly improving, remains weak [...]

by Craig M. Borowski
Employment-related claims remain at near all-time high levels, and most employers face them from time to time. Many attorneys would agree they have a “wish list” of things they would like to receive with their next employment lawsuit to help them successfully defend the case. Unfortunately, to the detriment of an [...]

by Michael G. McCourt
We now are fully involved in the crush of festivities and holiday shopping that traditionally mark the beginning of the sprint to New Year’s Eve. This is the season of peace on earth and good will toward our fellow man, right? Not always.
A Challenging Season
The holidays have the uncanny ability to produce [...]

by Joseph Godwin
Company holiday celebrations have a well-deserved reputation for resulting in employer headaches. Alcohol consumption at parties, gag gift exchanges, questionable wardrobe choices, Dirty Dancing moves, excluding spouses or domestic partners, and a host of other factors have made the office party the “most wonderful time of the year” for employees’ lawyers. You don’t [...]

by Craig M. Borowski
The holiday season is almost upon us. Employers often use this time of year to show their appreciation for employees’ hard work and to celebrate with them in the workplace. Unfortunately, however, even an office party planned with the best of intentions can create legal liability for your company [...]

by T. Harold Pinkley
As election season heats up, we thought it would be worthwhile to remind you about important issues to consider when you’re dealing with discussions about politics in the workplace. We hope our readers will relate to the experiences of Gertrude, the fictional HR director featured in this article.
The phone call
Gertrude Toklas, Acme [...]