…a stocking full of tip summaries!  After a very musical few weeks, we’ve arrived at the final installment of our 12 Days of HR series.  We hope that you’ve enjoyed singing along with us on our holiday-themed journey through various employment law issues—and learned a few things along the way.  To wrap up the festivities, here is a brief summary of the issues and tips that we’ve discussed over the past few weeks.  Be sure…

Because of how often we hear from clients regarding requests for “emotional support” animals to accompany employees to work, we figured a refresher on how to handle these types of situations would be appreciated. While we do not expect many employees to request to bring a “service hippo” to work, we have certainly been faced with situations where “non-traditional” animals have been requested to accompany individuals both in public accommodation situations, and in the workplace.…

We’re halfway through December, which means that the New Year is right around the corner.  January 1st always seems to inspire a host of new goals and aspirations for the year ahead, and if you are in human resources, we have some resolutions to consider as 2019 gets ready to roll in. First, brush up on new laws coming into effect in the coming year.  Many U.S. states—about one-third of them—will be experiencing an increase…

In recent years, “side hustles” have become an increasingly common phenomenon among employees in all industries to supplement income from a “traditional” job.   A key attribute of side hustles is that they are self-managed, and there are seemingly endless opportunities—from tutoring to digital design services to creating online video tutorials—to appease nearly any skill or interest.  And for some, side hustles are about more than just the money—especially for workers with less experience, side hustles…

The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was passed to prevent workers from being workers from being seriously harmed at work.  Although OSHA compliance should be on your mind all year, the winter season brings with it additional regulations that might affect your workplace. For example, if your workplace installs special lighting during the holiday or winter months, OSHA has guidelines that apply to those arrangements.  Section 1910.305 provides that decorative lighting (including for…

Employees often take time off around the holidays.  In many cases, an employee’s days off might be pursuant to a planned vacation or time with loved ones.  However, an employee might request leave for a situation that would entitle them to leave pursuant to the federal Family and Medical Leave Act.  If you find yourself facing a request for leave pursuant to the FMLA, here are some quick refreshers on the basics of the FMLA…