01/31/2012
There’s plenty of employment law news making its way into the mainstream media. That means the workplace will be buzzing with employee chatter about working conditions, pay and unions. Prepare now for how to react.
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01/31/2012
Last year ended and 2012 began with a flurry of activity from the National Labor Relations Board NLRB. Between controversial appointments to the board and action on two new rules concerning organized labor, the NLRB has given employers much to watch.
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01/25/2012
Q. Our union agreement says we must give 48 hours’ notice before dismissing a regular employee. But we have proof that two employees have been harassing—and continue to harass—black and gay employees. In fact, their harassment just caused us to lose a good employee who couldn’t take it any longer. What trumps what?
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01/20/2012
The National Labor Relations Board is continuing its string of pro-union actions: 1. Arbitration agreements can’t ban class-action lawsuits. 2. New rules will speed up union elections. 3. Poster requirement delayed to April 30. 4. NLRB makes controversial recess appointments.
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01/10/2012
The National Labor Relations Board has ruled that employers can't require employees to sign arbitration agreements that ban class-action lawsuits. The decision—almost certain to be challenged in court—caps months of controversy at the NLRB, the government body that enforces the National Labor Relations Act.
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01/05/2012
The National Labor Relations Board has postponed until April 30 the date when employers must display a new pro-union poster. The change came at the request of a Washington, D.C., federal court hearing business groups’ legal challenge regarding the rule.
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12/26/2011
While today's Iowa caucuses feel like the end of a long campaign season, it’s really just the beginning of a heated political year … one that could spill over into your workplace. Follow these tips for handling political activity in your workplace and employees' political advocacy outside of work.
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12/21/2011
On Nov. 30, 2011, the National Labor Relations Board voted 2-1 in favor of changing the union election rules to speed up the process of securing union representation in workplaces nationwide. The new rule shortens the time between the filing of an election petition and actual voting, making it easier for unions to win elections and more difficult for employers to communicate with employees before the vote.
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12/14/2011
The rules regarding union representation and unfair labor practices are complex and confusing for employees and employers alike. That’s reason enough to get expert help with any union-related problems, including what to do when employees vote out a union.
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12/02/2011
A court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19 on two business-backed lawsuits challenging the legality of the NLRB's new requirement that U.S. employers display a new workplace poster describing employees’ union rights.
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11/28/2011
At first glance, management-employee participation groups seem legally risk-free. But looking deeper, such committees could, under certain circumstances, be viewed as illegal, employer-dominated unions under federal labor law. Key point: According to a handful of NLRB rulings, an employer commits an unfair labor practice whenever it dominates any “labor organization.”
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11/22/2011
A court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 19 on two business-backed lawsuits challenging the legality of the National Labor Relations Board's new requirement that U.S. employers display a new workplace poster describing employees’ union rights.
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11/18/2011
With the Occupy Wall Street protests spreading to dozens of U.S. cities, you may be faced with workers who join in such activities, whether in person or via social media. How should you respond?
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11/16/2011
While the law concerning acceptable employee use of social media remains uncertain, the NLRB is starting to shed more light on what conduct is acceptable under the National Labor Relations Act. The NLRB has issued a decision in Karl Knauz Motors Inc., holding that Knauz did not violate the NLRA when it terminated an employee.
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11/16/2011
Being a union-free workplace has many advantages, but there are also some built-in benefits to operating under a collective bargaining agreement. For one, such contracts typically require all rank-and-file employees to take their complaints to arbitration rather than filing a federal lawsuit.
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