Taking Care of HR Business

A blog from the attorneys of Verrill

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HR Power Hour with Brett Barlow – Rethinking Payment Practices

On this episode of HR Power Hour, join Verrill attorney Tawny Alvarez as she talks to Brett Barlow. This episode discusses rethinking payment practices. Brett Harlow has over 25 years of experience leading SaaS businesses and consumer brands and is currently CEO of Everee, a fintech company that is...
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HR Power Hour with Mary Axelsen – Change Leadership

On this episode of HR Power Hour, join Verrill attorney Tawny Alvarez as she talks to WeMaax Consulting Founder & CEO Mary Axelsen. This episode discusses CARE Change Framework and the work that WeMaax Consulting does in the Change Leadership arena. Mary Axelsen is a former global HR Executive...
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HR Power Hour with John Robertson – Leadership Tools in Crisis

On this episode of HR Power Hour, join Verrill attorney Tawny Alvarez as she talks to John Robertson. This episode discusses various leadership tools in the face of crisis situations as well as evaluating probability before they occur. John Robertson is a workforce wellness expert and culture alignment specialist...
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Pay Transparency Laws are on the Rise – What Employers Need to Know

Last week (November 1, 2022), New York City Local Law 59 came into effect. The law requires employers with four or more employees working in New York City (NYC) to publish salary ranges for every advertised job, promotion or transfer opportunity that could or will be performed in NYC...
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Update Postings: EEOC Know Your Rights

The EEOC has issued a revised Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal poster (Revised 10/20). The poster is available here and should be posted as soon as possible. This document is revised and should replace the original poster that was issued on October 19. Some answers to Frequently...
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HR Power Hour with David Jones – Happy People in the Right Position

On this episode of HR Power Hour, join Verrill attorney Tawny Alvarez as she talks to David Jones . This episode discusses the importance of having happy people in the right positions. David Jones is the Co-Founder and CEO of The Talent Enterprise where he heads up business growth...
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HR Power Hour with Elizabeth Johnston – Minimize Risks Related to Holiday Party Gatherings

On this episode of HR Power Hour, join Verrill attorney Tawny Alvarez as she talks to Verrill Attorney Elizabeth Johnston. This episode discusses minimizing risks relating to holiday party gatherings. Elizabeth Johnston handles a variety of employment matters including working with businesses of all sizes to ensure that their...
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HR Power Hour with April Paradis – Investing in Women

On this episode of HR Power Hour, join Verrill attorney Tawny Alvarez as she talks to April Paradis, HR Specialist at Bank of America, about the work that Bank of America is doing to invest in women. This episode discusses the importance of attracting and retaining both female leadership...
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Should You Be Paying Overtime to Your Office Staff?

Office workers who perform receptionist, secretarial, and other administrative tasks often are incorrectly classified as exempt from overtime pay because they receive a salary and have job titles such as "executive assistant." However, such employees will not necessarily be found exempt from the requirement to pay overtime merely because...
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Double Check: COVID-19 Policy

While in March of 2020 , I believe many individuals hoped that by July of 2022 we would no longer be concerned with COVID-19 Policies, such, unfortunately, is not the case. Yesterday , the EEOC updated its long-standing guidance, What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the...
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What Employers Need to Know About Access to Reproductive Care After Dobbs

The United States Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization , No. 19-1392 (June 24, 2022) overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, has led to a host of different responses from employers across the country—specifically those with employees in states that now ban...
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How to Break Up With An Employee: 10 Tips for Avoiding Claims and Liability

As with other types of relationships, breaking up with an employee is seldom easy. And employee terminations result in more lawsuits than any other employment action. Employers should keep the following 10 tips in mind when handling employee terminations in order to reduce the risk of legal claims and...
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Supreme Leak: NLRA Rights

For blog followers, you likely saw last week’s post reminding you to revisit your confidentiality policies in the wake of the leaking of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, as well as our follow-up piece concerning religious rights at work and steps to take...
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Supreme Leak: Religion at Work

Over the last year, our society has navigated COVID-19 and rules concerning vaccination and masking. As a society and on this blog, we have discussed regularly the role religious freedoms play in the work environment—under the Constitution, Title VII, and state law. Today, however, it’s time to re-visit the...
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“Mug-shots”: Are Employees’ risky beverage containers a cause for concern?

Prior to (and more so during) the pandemic, many individuals who found themselves working from home were limited in ways to express their uniqueness, their personalities, the things that made them, well, them. It started with fun backgrounds. Waves in the distance, a meeting in outer space, your favorite...
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2021 LexisNexis “Workers’ Compensation Emerging Issues Analysis”

I just read a wonderful resource for anyone who has dealings with any aspect of workers’ compensation law. “Workers’ Compensation Emerging Issues Analysis”, the 2021 LexisNexis volume co-authored by Thomas A. Robinson and National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network member firms contains well-written articles on multiple topics in the workers&rsquo...
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Limiting Harassment Claims When Returning to IRL Engagement

It is April 2022 and after 2 years of pandemic-related in-person meeting restrictions (also known as meeting In Real Life (IRL)), we are seeing increases in employers permitting work-related travel. That, coupled with requirements for partial or full-time return to the office means that we are seeing an increase...
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More Madness: Catch Up With NCAA Happenings

While there’s no denying March Madness brings the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) considerable attention, the Association has been the subject of significant press over the last year for several hot-button employment-related issues. First, there has been ongoing discussion concerning name, image, and likeness (NIL) issues. In February 2021...
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HR 2116 and What You Need to Know About Hairstyle Discrimination

On March 18, the United States House of Representatives passed HR 2116 by a vote of 235-to-189. The Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act (a/k/a CROWN Act) , would restrict discrimination on the basis of hair texture or style in Federally Assisted Programs, Housing Programs...
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BREAKING: The Supreme Court Blocks OSHA COVID Vaccine/Testing Rule (NFIB v. OSHA) and Allows the Healthcare (Medicare/Medicaid) Vaccine Rule (Biden v. Missouri) to Take Effect

In NFIB v. OSHA , the Court focused its decision on OSHA’s emergency temporary standards which require the Secretary to show (1) “that employees are exposed to grave danger from exposure to substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or from new hazards, and (2) that...
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Attention Portland Employers: Updates on Mask Mandate, Hazard Pay

On Monday, Portland City Councilors took two significant actions that affect employers in Portland, Maine. First, the Council repealed an emergency order from March 2020, eliminating the hazard pay provision set forth in the city’s minimum wage ordinance. Second, the Council enacted a city-wide indoor mask mandate affecting most...
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2021 Employment Law Update: Part 12 – Tips and Trends for 2021 and 2022

In 2021, due to the ongoing pandemic, the Employment & Labor Group hosted their monthly Annual Update seminars virtually this year. For the final presentation of the series, five Verrill attorneys provide us with short video segments, detailing some of the top trends of 2021 and ways companies and...
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Myth Buster: Employers, Vaccine Information, and HIPAA

With the nation’s ongoing focus on COVID-19 vaccinations, you may be hearing information—and misinformation—about your obligations under HIPAA, the federal Health Information Portability and Accountability Act. In this segment of Myth Busters , we address some common misconceptions about HIPAA and its applicability to employers and employee health information...
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HR Power Hour with Humza Khan – First Five Steps for DE&I

On this episode of HR Power Hour, join Verrill attorney Tawny Alvarez as she talks to Humza Khan, founder of Inclusion Maine, about all things diversity, equity and inclusion. This episode discusses the foundation of building a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion program and the first five steps any organization...
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HR Power Hour with Robert Brooks- What's Covered? COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate

On this episode of HR Power Hour, join Verrill attorney Tawny Alvarez as she talks to fellow Verrill labor and employment attorney Robert Brooks , about vaccine mandates at work. This episode discusses how the government has authority to mandate vaccines at work, how to implement a vaccine mandate...
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