New Rule Restricts Commercial Drivers' Mobile Phone Use
Organizations that employ truckers, bus drivers and other commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers should be familiar with the requirements of a final rule that prohibits them from driving while using hand-held cell phones. The rule prohibits CMV drivers from holding a mobile phone while operating a vehicle, including while a vehicle is idling in traffic or at a traffic signal. A prohibited mobile phone is one that requires the driver to use "at least one hand to hold" the phone to make a voice call. Hands-free mobile devices are not banned under the rule.
First, Do No Harm: Physicians Must Protect Patient Privacy When Networking Online
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is designed to protect patients from unwanted intrusion into the intimate details of their medical conditions. But that same protection may be hindering caregivers from using modern technology to gain the information they need to give the best care possible. While professionals in other fields may easily consult with each other over Internet social networks like Facebook, HIPAA regulations prevent doctors from using such unsecured platforms. Ironically, in the Internet age the medical profession is still heavily reliant on FAX machines.
Authorities Launch FCPA Probe of Murdoch Holdings
An international probe of News Corporation and its leaders demonstrates the broad scope of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The FCPA investigation follows more than 100 civil claims that threaten to topple the Rupert Murdoch media empire.
6 Things You Shouldn't Do at the Office on Valentine's Day – Or Any Other Day
Ah, Valentine's Day. The time for love, kisses, flowers, chocolate and romance — all things that might get you in trouble at the office. There's a fine line between lighthearted fun and sexual harassment. Where do you draw the line? Where does harmless flirtation stop and sexual harassment begin? Here are examples of behaviors you should avoid in the workplace — on Valentine's Day and every other day:
Disparaging Remarks about Employers on Facebook May be Legally Protected
Imagine a situation where an employee is transferred to another department because of lack of work. The employee, furious about the move, posts a curse-laden rant about the company on her Facebook page, and some of her coworkers gleefully respond in kind in comments to the Facebook post, bad-mouthing the employer and calling for a class-action suit. The company has a policy that explicitly prohibits employees from making disparaging comments in any media. Does the company have the legal right to fire the worker for violating its policy?
First Circuit Opinion Illustrates Need for Ethics and Compliance Training
The First Circuit Court of Appeals recently clarified that the protections afforded to "whistleblowers" by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act don't apply to whistleblowers working for contractors of public companies.
Workplace Discrimination Complaints Soaring
Since the beginning of the Great Recession of 2008, American workers have filed record numbers of discrimination complaints with the federal government. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that the all-time peak came in 2011 with nearly 100,000 complaints filed. However, that figure was only slightly higher than the number filed in 2010.
HIPAA Compliance Audits Scheduled for 2012
For organizations that are subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, 2012 is a year of compliance audits. The Department of Health and Human Services Office has announced a 2012 pilot audit program to assess compliance with the Privacy and Security Rules and Breach Notification standards of HIPAA. Under the pilot program, the Office of Civil Rights will conduct 150 audits through December 2012.
Who Owns Your Company's Social Media Accounts?
Social media accounts have become much more than just a place for people to tell their friends what they ate for lunch. There's no doubt that social media accounts have become valuable tools for businesses to attract, retain and influence customers. But just how valuable are they? And who owns the accounts when they're used for business?
EEOC Sues Tire Company with Lone Female Employee
While many of the country's leading companies make a highly visible effort to welcome and encourage diversity, some companies seem stuck in the past. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently sued Mavis Discount Tire, a company that sells automobile parts and services. According to the lawsuit, Mavis hired 1,300 new managers, mechanics and tire installers over a three-year period -- and not a single one of those new hires was a woman.
