I spend part of this week conducting social media training for a client. I spoke to groups of managers and supervisors. What surprised me most about their collective response to the policy wasn’t the ban on personal social media at work, or their potential personal liability for harassment under Ohio law, but the fact that their employer expected them to be responsible for what their friends and followers posted on their social media sites that could potentially reflect poorly on the company. As someone who is well engaged with social media, I also found it interesting that while the group was nearly unanimous in their use of Facebook and LinkedIn, no one (but me) tweeted. What I took away from these sessions was that if you are going to be rolling out a social media policy—and you should be—you should incorporate training sessions about the policy. What seems straightforward to you might be troubling to your employees. It also makes sense to cover the social media basics, because you will have employees that can’t tell a tweet from Tweety Bird.
Here’s what I read this week:
Wage & Hour
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Yes, You Can Get Fired After Taking Maternity Leave: The confusing state of family-leave policies – from Sharon Lerner at Slate
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Do You Have to Pay People Who Work the Computer Help Desk Overtime Pay? – from Overtime Advisor
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Where’s MY Pay Czar? Why We Need a Total Rewards Audit of Congress – from Ann Bares at Compensation Force
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Independent Contractors and the ABC Test: The Future is NOW – from Michael Haberman’s HR Observations
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US Chamber: Equal Pay “a Fetish for Money,” Women Should “Choose the Right Partner at Home” – from Work in Progress
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Union Representation Activities: Are They “Working Time” Under The FLSA? – from Wage & Hour—Development & Highlights
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Unpaid Internships – from Matthew Gibson’s Wills & Wealth
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The Slacker: Striving For Mediocre – from I Hate People…But It’s Nothing Personal
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Police Sergeant Sues for Overtime Based on Time Spent Reading and Responding to E-mails – from Texas Employment Law Update
Discrimination
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Tick, Tock. Watch the (Retaliation) Clock – from Mindy Chapman’s Case In Point
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It Comes with the Job—Or not – from Workplace Prof Blog
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2nd Circuit issues interesting opinion on sexually hostile environment Mike Maslanka’s – from Work Matters
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“Similarly situated” can be a high bar – from Sindy Warren at the Warren & Hays Employment Law Blog
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Service dog’s untimely calls of nature – from Walter Olson’s Overlawyered
Human Resources & Employee Relations
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I’m Mad As Hell? – from The Word on Employment Law with John Phillips
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I Don’t Think That Constitution Means What You Think It Does – from Popehat
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A lesson in how NOT to fire an insubordinate employee – from Stephen Meyer’s HR Cafe
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Hospital Workers Post Pics of Dying Man on Facebook: Highlights Need to Educate Employees on Proper Use of Social Media – from Megan Erickson’s Social Networking Law Blog
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Workplace Violence Prevention: Having Police or Security Available at a Termination Meeting – from Dan Schwartz’s Connecticut Employment Law Blog
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Proof That Background Checks Actually Work: If You Use Them – from Nick Fishman at the employeescreenIQ Blog
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The Importance of Office Space – from Adria Martinelli at the Delaware Employment Law Blog
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Telling lies hard work in workplace – from Andrea Kay at the Pittsburgh Tribune
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Monitoring the Monitors – from Sarah Needleman at the Wall Street Journal
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Workplace smoking bans spark obesity? – from USA Today
Trade Secrets
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Lawsuit of the Day: Major Lindsey Files RICO Action Against Former Employee – from David Lat at Abovethelaw.com
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Training and Social Networking Policies: Essential Elements in Protecting Your Company Secrets – from TLNT
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Departing Wells Fargo Vice-President Accused of Looting Data and Clients – from Trade Secrets Blog
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Eighth Circuit Affirms Award Of $1,369,921 As Liquidated Damages In No-Compete Case – from Trade Secrets and Noncompete Blog
Litigation
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SANCTIONS—DENIED!!! – from Katherine Gallo’s Resolving Discovery Disputes
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80% of Employers’ Summary Judgment Motions Granted – from Philip Miles’s Lawffice Space
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