Defining Shades Of Grey

The US Supreme Court recently heard arguments about age discrimination, and whether an employer’s policy that discriminates against older workers is allowable, as long as there are reasons for the policy besides discriminating against older workers.

It is not necessarily unlawful for an employer to adopt policies that put older workers at a disadvantage. Such policies pass muster under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act as long as they are based on “reasonable factors other than age.”

The question in a Supreme Court argument on Wednesday was whether the employer has to prove that such “reasonable factors” exist, or whether it is up to the employee who has brought a lawsuit to show that they do not.

Here is complete coverage in the New York Times.

Best Employment Strategy: Avoid The Legal System

A new study from an esteemed law school professor highlights again how important it is for small business to stay away from courthouses and mediators: while appeals processes often let punished employees off the hook, they don’t often let punished employers off the hook.

As consumer, employee and other groups carefully build momentum in Congress for changes in the nation’s arbitration landscape and business groups just as carefully organize their opposition, a new empirical study reports a “disturbing trend” at the state level: state courts vacating many arbitration awards for employees, but not for employers.

The new study, conducted by labor and employment law scholar Michael LeRoy of the University of Illinois College of Law, is another and important piece in the complex arbitration mosaic, whose various parts are being re-examined by members of Congress and others for legislative “fixes” before the end of this year or early next year — depending on the November election outcome.

Here’s a more detailed article on the study. Be sure to review with your Payroll Solutions HRC whether your business is doing everything it can to avoid problems in the first place.

Payroll Solutions Open House: Come See Our New Office!

You are cordially invited to Payroll Solutions Group new corporate headquarters

Thursday, April 24, 2008
5pm-8pm
3575 West Cheyenne Ave.
North Las Vegas, NV 89032

702-256-3748

RSVP: swinters@payrollsolutions.tv

Recruiting In A Recession

How will an impending recession impact the way you recruit new employees?

Probably in some ways you haven’t thought of. Here’s an interesting article from Kennedy Information listing pros and cons.

With a contraction of the economy, this War for Talent will be complicated by the influx of unqualified or under qualified candidates who will submit applications indiscriminately in the hopes of simply finding a job. Furthermore, so-called passive candidates (more…)

Six Ways To Win At Office Politics

Here’s a great article from CareerJournal.com listing six ways to improve your interactions amongst those you work with.

Payroll Solutions to Host HR Seminar

Creating a Winning Culture

April 25, 2008 9am

Payroll Solutions invites you to join us for 2 ½ hours of professional instruction we are confident you will find beneficial and practical for your organization.

Our April seminar features Kimberly Malloy, President of Train2Excel, Inc. Kimberly has been designing and implementing training programs for over a decade. Kimberly’s enthusiasm for helping corporations and individual business professionals succeed, combined with the gifts of teaching, ensure the participant’s training experience will be both educational and enjoyable.

Creating a winning culture is not founded on individual performance. Experts say successful companies built them on collaboration between people, departments and employees influencing their work situation.

Key elements to be discussed:

• Why is creating a culture important and how does it contribute to the bottom line?
  • What’s in it for the employer’s?
  • What’s in it for the employee’s?
• What is the companies mission statement and how aligned is the team?
• Developing the framework
• Communication
• Holding the team accountability
• How long does it take for change to happen?

Classes are held at Payroll Solutions Corporate Office at 3575 W. Cheyenne Ave., Ste. 101 N. Las Vegas, Nevada.

Please note this is our new address as we have recently moved.Space is limited so please RSVP by deadline. Workshop is designed for owners & managers only. The cost of the workshop is $10.00. Price includes materials, snacks & refreshments. Payroll only clients are welcome and cost is $20.00.

For questions or to RSVP please contact Jackie Emigh at 256-3748.

Texas Employer Gives In: DOL Gets $1.5-Million

An employer in Texas has “agreed” to settle a US Department of Labor lawsuit for $1.5-million.  A thousand people who had applied for or worked at Vought Aircraft Industries will get a check for $1,500 each.

DOL alleged the employer’s application and hiring test was discriminatory, but agreed to not pursue to legal action further if Vought would come up with the check.

The HR professionals at Payroll Solutions are well versed in the things that the DOL can trigger on.

$6.5-million For Religious Discrimination

An employee of Kelly Services – the nationwide temp agency – has convinced a federal jury in Sacramento to award her $6.5-million dollars – approximately 100 times her annual salary.

The  majority of promotions around the office went to co-workers who belonged to a small local church called “Fellowship of Friends” in the small Sierra foothills community where they all worked.

Kelly Services says it will appeal.

Employee’s Sbare Time Pursuit Not Grounds For Firing

A high school art teacher who was fired for making paintings with is bare behind when he wasn’t teaching at school was fired, but has won a $65,000 judgement against his former employer.

It’s a pretty strange case, that’s for sure. The, er, bottom line: consult an HR professional before you crack the whip.

Most Productive Day of the Week?

A new study says that in most American workplaces and workweeks, the most productive day of the week is (more…)