As the COVID-19 virus spreads across the world and the number of cases growing in the U.S., there is a lot of hysteria and misinformation about how to protect yourself from this new virus strain. More and more people are wearing surgical masks when they go outside, thinking it will protect them, and some people…
When most people think about job safety and hazards in the workplace, they think about construction and manufacturing work environments. Office hazards are either forgotten or ignored because the general assumption is that they are minor when compared to those in more labor-intensive work environments. But, office work environments often have some of the same…
A federal court has ruled that an insurer’s professional liability policy must pay out $6 million for a company’s losses from a business e-mail compromise scam, even though the business lacked cyber coverage. The ruling is part of a growing trend of businesses that haven’t purchased cyber insurance seeking coverage for cyber-related losses from other…
U-Haul International Inc. made a big splash recently when it announced that, starting Feb. 1, 2020, it would not hire nicotine users in the 21 states where barring someone for the habit is legal. While its decision made headlines since it’s a national company, more and more employers have been opting to forgo hiring people…
New Cal/OSHA regulations will require employers to provide access to their injury and illness prevention programs upon request. Under the new rule, which is expected to take effect in April, employers will be required to provide a copy of their IIPP within five days upon an employee’s or an employee’s representative’s (a lawyer’s) request. The…
One of the most perilous times for a company in an employment relationship is when a worker is leaving. Departing employees have taken customer lists, vendor lists and sometimes company secrets on the way out the door, whether they were laid off, fired or quit on their own. This unethical, and sometimes illegal, time-honored tradition…
We are reminding employers to post OSHA Form 300A from Feb. 1 to April 30, as required by law. Form 300A, which lists a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred last year, must be posted in a conspicuous place where it is visible to all of your employees. The summary…
Small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly bearing the burden of cyber threats, as criminals consider them low-hanging fruits that often do not have the resources in place to mount a strong defense. A severe attack on a small company can incapacitate its ability to do business, and the expenses of getting operations back on track…
As the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus gains momentum and potentially begins to spread in North America, employers will have to start considering what steps they can take to protect their workers while fulfilling their legal obligations. Employers are in a difficult position because it is likely that the workplace would be a significant…
The recent news of McDonald’s Corp. dismissing its chief executive for having a consensual sexual relationship with an employee reflects the hardening stance in corporate America towards inter-office romances. Many large companies have instituted zero-tolerance policies for managers who are romantically involved with company employees. The companies are mainly cracking down to reduce their chances…