Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
WORKPLACE
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
EEOC Goes Old School
I ponder the term “AI,” aka “artificial intelligence.” From pocket calculators to big-data Google search engines, what is artificial about software that reliably provides shortcuts to ponderous Old School long division or weeks-long research among the library stacks? To call it “automated” is more like it, same acronym in any event.
CAUTIONARY TALE EPISODE 67
LANGUAGE LIMITATION LIMITS
Business Necessity Required for English-Only Rules
Washington and Oregon employer R&SL, operating as “TEAM,” has agreed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to pay $276,000 to certain employees in settlement of a national origin discrimination and retaliation charge.
HANDBOOK HELPER EPISODE 26
HEALTH CARE BENEFITS POLICY
California employers who offer medical, dental, and/or vision insurance should include a handbook policy listing such company-provided benefits.
I’ll Take You There
Today, Thursday 3/29, we kick off our two-day Literacy and Leadership workshop with twenty Liberian community advocates, including leaders of the Federation of Liberian Youth (FLY).
Kofi will be taking part, coming back for day two tomorrow to watch some of the Tim-and-Jay show and to offer his twenty-cents to these 20-somethings.
HANDBOOK HELPER EPISODE 25
PROFICIENCY AND CAREER TRAINING POLICY
With limited exceptions, such as for continuing education required to maintain a government or industry-mandated professional license, employee time for company-required training programs – seminars, courses, conventions, and other educational opportunities – is compensable, particularly those aimed at improving existing job performance.
PREFERENCE DOESN’T MATTER
Incorrect Classification Leads to Massive Liability
A prudent company must consider state and federal law before deciding to classify a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee. Unfortunately, many businesses make such decisions for illegitimate reasons including avoidance of payroll record-keeping and employer-side taxes or the hiree does not want taxes withheld. These arbitrary preferences can lead to hiring an employee as an independent contractor, often without even entering into a written agreement as required under most pertinent laws.
KOFI
Thank you, readers, for the many encouraging responses to pieces on recent West African travel and our progress with the Applied Scholastics African Literacy Campaign (3/23 – 4/3/23). Letter from Liberia (March 24, 2023) and The Wrong Thing to Do: Nothing(March 25, 2023) More from those days? Sure, my pleasure. …
HANDBOOK HELPER EPISODE 24
PERSONNEL RECORDS POLICY
California employers must schedule either weekly, biweekly, or semimonthly (minimum two/month) payrolls. All wages must be paid within seven calendar days following the close of the payroll period. Temporary employees must usually be paid weekly (or daily for daily assignments).
HANDBOOK HELPER EPISODE 23
PAYDAYS AND DEDUCTIONS POLICY
California employers must schedule either weekly, biweekly, or semimonthly (minimum two/month) payrolls. All wages must be paid within seven calendar days following the close of the payroll period. Temporary employees must usually be paid weekly (or daily for daily assignments).
CAUTIONARY TALE EPISODE 66
BATHROOM DISCRIMINATION
The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC), charged with enforcing federal protections against workplace disability discrimination, has sued WalMart in North Carolina for allegedly declining to provide reasonable accommodation and improperly terminating a Crohn’s disease-afflicted employee.