News & Resources

Tips to change a problem employee

Here are some ways not to deal with a problem employee: Avoid talking about it. Overreact and make the problem worse. Complain. Lecture the individual. So what can you do when you must deal with …

July 10, 2013

From the archives: Summer Friday season is upon us

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASE (originally posted June 1, 2012)By George BrownJohn P. Mahoney is a labor law attorney specializing in to the federal employment sector. Last week Mr. Mahoney, of the firm …

July 10, 2013

Complying with federal laws when hiring teen employees

Does your business employ teenagers in the summer? Young workers are a valuable asset to many employers at this time of year. If you're among them, make sure your organization is in compliance with federal …

July 3, 2013

New SBAM survey shows discernable uptick in small businesses optimism

The Small Business Association of Michigan’s (SBAM) latest June 2013 Small Business Barometer survey of over 1,000 small business owners shows that entrepreneurs are decidedly more upbeat compared to the October 2012 survey. Hiring, sales and …

July 2, 2013

Supreme Court to consider NLRB authority to act

On June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the petition for a writ of certiorari in NLRB v. Noel Canning. In addition to the questions presented by the petition, the parties were directed to brief …

June 28, 2013

EEOC puts the hammer down on background checks

What would the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) say about your background screening process and polices? To get an idea, take a look at the agency’s recent cases against BMW and Dollar General. These are …

June 11, 2013

Lactation rights: Appeals court slaps down denial of discrimination claim

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Joe DeSantisFiring a new mother because she asked for break time to express breast milk is indeed sex discrimination under the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978.The EEOC sued …

June 4, 2013

Fair Labor Standard Act Cases: A snowball rolling downhill

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Joe DeSantis A quick look at a bar graph showing the growth in employee-initiated Wage and Hour claims in the last 10 years makes startlingly obvious what HR …

May 30, 2013

Is an attendance requirement reasonable under the ADA?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Anthony KaylinPTI is a company that provides around-the-clock ground transportation service for railroads seeking to move their train crews from one route to another. Ms. Terri Basden was …

May 24, 2013

When actions can result in discrimination

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner AdvanceHRYou and your managers may not believe you ever discriminate against disabled applicants and employees. But there sometimes are subtle and unintentional actions that can result in illegal discrimination …

May 22, 2013

The final stage of emergency and disaster planning: recovery

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Michael J. BurnsDisasters come in many forms. The only thing they have in common is their surprise nature. Last month’s bombings in Boston and explosion in West, Texas …

May 21, 2013

Crafting job descriptions with legal hazards in mind

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner AdvanceHRIt may seem unnecessary to cover something as basic as a requirement to show up for work regularly, in a job description. Better not to make this assumption. Businesses …

May 16, 2013

Seven employee types you can do without

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy George BrownAt ASE we have several barometers that give us a sense of the “weather” out there, i.e., the issues employers are facing at any given point in …

May 15, 2013

Federal appeals court invalidates NLRB poster regulation

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) declared in a rule that employers subject to its jurisdiction (which is most employers) would be guilty of an unfair labor practice if they did not post a “Notification …

May 15, 2013

Employee telecommuting: Time for a fresh look?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner AdvanceHRA rising number of companies -- large and small -- are permitting employees to telecommute, full or part-time. Recently the practice came under fire when Yahoo's CEO said the …

May 10, 2013

Are “casual Fridays” getting out of hand?

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Anthony Kaylin Many companies have casual days, generally Fridays. Casual Fridays are dress down days—a nice perk for employees that costs the employer little to nothing to implement. …

May 9, 2013

Proposed bill makes a “comp time” law actually possible

Article courtesy of SBAM Approved Partner ASEBy Joe DeSantisRepublicans in the U.S. House of Representatives, mindful of the perception that their party has come to be perceived as anti-family and anti-worker, have resurrected a bill …