On May 14, 2008, Georgia’s governor signed the newest state gun law that may–may–make it more difficult for employers to ban guns in the workplace.  At one point during the law’s circuitous route through the Georgia General Assembly, it would have prevented employers from banning guns from employee vehicles in employer parking lots.  Although business groups sponsored […]

[Read more →]

In what may be the first workplace bullying case of its kind, the Indiana Supreme Court has upheld a verdict of $325,000 against a bully of a doctor.  The suit was filed against the doctor by a hospital operating room perfusionist (the person who operates the heart/lung machine during open heart surgeries).
The doctor, angry at the […]

[Read more →]

What’s the deal about “May Day”?
In an article written by Barbara Goodwin, editor of the Maine Employment Law Letter, for HR Hero Line, there’s a summary of how “May Day” started, as well as practical tips about how we can relate May Day to the current workplace. 
Since this is May 1, check it out.

[Read more →]

I suppose the first kind of workplace violence was the old-fashioned workplace fight.  Fights still happen at work.  Sometimes, they involve some pushing and shoving.  Sometimes, blows are thrown and landed.  Fights obviously aren’t what you want going on at work–ever.
Almost all employers have rules against fighting on the job.  If you have a handbook, it’ll be in the handbook.  […]

[Read more →]

To follow up on the immediately preceding post, click here for more on the problem of bullying in the workplace, including the proposition that bullying can have more negative effects on employees than unlawful harassment.

[Read more →]

Across the country, state legislatures are considering so-called bullying legislation for the workplace.  Under most state laws, if bullying is based on one of the protected classes (race, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability or some other protected class under state law), this would amount to unlawful harassment.  If it’s just regular bullying, it’s not unlawful, […]

[Read more →]

There have been previous posts on bullying in the workplace and on this year’s political scene. In the Delaware Employment Law Letter, there’s an article comparing workplace bullies with certain political types who are also bullies. It’s a clever and helpful look at dealing with certain kinds of bullies in the workplace. Check it out.
DELAWARE […]

[Read more →]

What does yesterday’s argument before the U.S. Supreme Court about whether a District of Columbia ban on handguns violates the Second Amendment have to do with the workplace and employment law?  Nothing directly, but perhaps a lot indirectly.
According to news sources following this case (click here, here, and here), the majority of the Court seemed to indicate from […]

[Read more →]

Have you ever been scared of an employee?  Have your employees ever come to you expressing their fear of a co-worker?
I suspect the answer to both questions is yes.  Sometimes, the fear builds up over a period of time.  An employee makes threats, and no one reports them.  The threats continue.  More people become afraid.
Sometimes, the […]

[Read more →]

Human resources professionals often find themselves in the middle of a crisis that needs managing.  Some of you have a crisis management plan in place.  Some of you have practiced it.  Some of you have had to implement it.  Most of you, I’m guessing, have done none of the above.  Regardless of what you’ve experienced, one thing that’s […]

[Read more →]