Topic: Ethics Training - Compliance Training

Retaliation is now the most commonly filed claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In general, retaliation claims are likely to be successful in trial and recover significant damages. Since most managers have no idea what retaliation is and how they can significantly contribute to retaliation claims, these new statistics have employers on edge.

On January 6, 2010, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) released its charge filing statistics for the 2009 Fiscal Year. 

We’ll discuss the highlights and what you need to know.

As 2009 winds down, it’s a great time to review the key workplace developments of the year, and talk about their implications for the future. A lot happened in 2009; events that put us on edge, and that will have a lasting impact on how employers manage risk and compliance.

I know many of you are knee-deep in planning for next year, and facing very tough time and budget constraints. You’re trying to really focus your compliance efforts. To assist you with that challenge, here are my top workplace compliance stories of 2009.

These are the trends and developments driving the greatest areas of risk, and where your organization needs to find innovative and effective solutions in 2010.

The past two weeks have been wrought with shocking violence, from the brutal rape and beating of a California teenager, to the dual shooting rampages at Fort Hood and an Orlando-based engineering firm.

While the media rehashes every detail of these tragic stories, business leaders need to recognize that we are in an environment of escalating violence and focus on prevention.

Long before the Facebook revolution, the general advice for employers was that managers could be friendly with employees, but they really shouldn’t be friends with them.

But from sexting, to blogging, to Twittering and social networking, the line between work and personal communications is becoming increasingly blurred - which has the potential to create major legal risk for employers.

In today’s blog post, I wanted to outline the seven biggest legal risks that can arise when employees and managers become virtual “friends”.

It’s hard to believe, but we’re now more than 90 days into President Obama’s administration - and we’re all feeling the “Obama Effect.”

And the changes he’s made impact virtually every employer, large and small.

Well the holiday season is officially upon us - which can bring up a lot of mixed feelings, especially at work.

On the one hand, there’s all that infectious cheer, extra goodies on hand, and the opportunity to connect and celebrate with our colleagues.

On the other hand, there’s that overwhelming pile of additional tasks that land on your plate, from sending out holiday cards, to buying gifts, to - you knew it was coming - planning the company holiday party.

So in the spirit of giving, I’m sharing some tips on how to keep your holiday party a joyous occasion - instead of a festive train wreck.

Those of you who read this blog on a regular basis know that I’m not one to ramble on about specific cases … case law can be interesting if you’re a lawyer, but the rest of the world just wants to know: “What’s the bottom line and what do we need to do to keep out of trouble?”

But from time to time, I do see cases where preventative compliance training plays an important role.

Obama’s headed for the Oval Office in 2009, which has a lot of employers wondering how his administration will impact the employment laws that regulate American businesses. And even though the Democrats were not able to capture enough new seats in Senate to prevent a filibuster on key labor and employment initiatives, get ready to see some big changes.

2009 is going to be a bumpy ride for employers. Aside from the economic turmoil everyone’s facing, there’s a long laundry list of employment laws that are likely to be enacted by Congress, and signed into law.

And what’s already confirmed on the horizon? Some sweeping changes to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). On September 25, 2008, President Bush signed into law the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), which will amend the ADA and directly overturn several landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions.