Blog Posts: General Business Compliance
NLRB to Employee: Be Careful What You Wish For
As we've noted, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has issued several rulings that protect employee rights to discuss pay and working conditions on social-media sites such as Facebook. It has, for example, ruled that an employer's prohibition of electronic posting of defamatory statements about the company was an unfair labor practice that interfered with employees' right to engage in concerted activity.
Have You Started Using the Revised Form I-9?
The U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently released a revised two-page Form I-9. As of May 7, 2013, employers must use the revised form to verify the employment eligibility of all new hires. Several changes in this version will require hiring managers and/or HR professionals to —
Hard Times Strain Ethical Standards
A global economic downturn is putting increasing pressure on employees to engage in unethical business practices, even as many countries are strengthening their anti-corruption enforcement regimes, according to Ernst & Young's 12th Global Fraud Survey, released earlier this month.
Social Media Privacy Rules Put Employers in Tough Spot
All is still not quiet on the social media front, where a host of conflicting laws and regulations continue to leave many employers between a rock and a hard place.
How Not to Provide a Job Reference
When asked for a job reference, a kind-hearted manager might be tempted to gloss over the misconduct or performance issues that had prompted the company to fire an employee. But as a Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Takeda") manager learned the hard way, in the context of an age-discrimination suit, managers should resist that temptation.
Netflix Facebook Post Spurs SEC Clarification on Social Media Regulation
Netflix inadvertently prompted the SEC to update and clarify its regulations as they relate to the use of social media by public companies. This update was issued following an SEC investigation of Netflix chief executive officer Reed Hastings after a July 3, 2012 post on his personal Facebook page stating "Congrats to Ted Sarados, and his amazing content licensing team. Netflix monthly viewing exceeded 1 billion hours for the first time ever in June."
Sustainability Reporting: Making It Meaningful
The pressure we put on the planet’s finite resources is less of an abstraction and more of a concrete problem with each passing day. The same holds true for local and global economic inequality and social injustice. Customers, investors other stakeholders now want the opportunity to factor in the costs of external environmental, social and economic consequences of business practices when assessing the bottom line – and to know what companies are doing to reduce or eliminate those costs. Sustainability reporting provides such an opportunity and, if done correctly, can be a vehicle for showcasing a company’s progress as it moves toward more environmentally and socially conscious business practices.
7 Tips for Conducting an Effective Workplace Investigation
When an employee reports misconduct or unsafe working conditions, employers should know how to conduct an effective investigation. Investigations promote ethical conduct by assisting in the enforcement of applicable laws and policies.
FTC Lets Google Off Hook, but Europe May Not
Earlier this month, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted unanimously to drop its 19-month antitrust investigation into Google's search practices without bringing charges. During the exhaustive investigation, FTC staff reviewed over nine million pages of documents from Google and other parties, in addition to conducting numerous interviews and hearings.
Hurricane Sandy Victims Create Storm of Insurance Complaints
Insurance companies in New York and New Jersey have received a flood of claims in recent months as a result of the more than $50 billion of damage caused by Hurricane Sandy. Insured customers are making claims at a much greater rate than insurers can handle, leading to a bevy of complaints against insurance companies. Recently, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said that 140,000 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims have been filed to date. Private insurers are expected to receive approximately one million homeowner’s claims, with more than one-third coming from New Jersey policyholders.
