“Bathroom bills” made numerous headlines in the first half of 2016. These bills aimed to regulate where transgender individuals should go to the bathroom. But the debate about bathrooms seemed really to be a national battle over how we view and treat transgender people. For employers, these issues are particularly important and legally uncertain. Are transgender employees legally protected? How should an employer respond to transitioning employees? Click here to read the accompanying article: http://bit.ly/2a4JkFn.

Is workplace compliance training an exercise in futility designed as a “CYA” for companies in today’s litigious society? Recent articles, and even the EEOC, have questioned whether some types of compliance training actually prevent ethical violations, sexual harassment and discrimination, and some take the position that online training courses are a waste of time due to their impersonal nature and simplistic approach. However, done right, compliance training is so much more than a “check the box” solution to minimize a company’s legal exposure. Instead, it is a key component in building an inclusive and respectful company culture where employees are educated on specifically what behaviors are expected, and empowered to speak up when they don’t feel comfortable. Click here to read the accompanying article: http://bit.ly/29hbIiv.

There are many decisions to be made when you are developing a training program, beyond the important issue of content. This podcast will walk you through the many factors to consider when planning a training initiative. Click here to read the accompanying article: http://bit.ly/29xqqr9.

It seems that FitBits® and other exercise trackers are as much the rage these days in the workplace as they are in the gym. Are your friends and colleagues counting steps taken and calories burned? If so, there is a good chance they are doing so as part of an employee wellness program. We discuss three ways to minimize the risk that your wellness program will face down the road. Click here to read the accompanying article: http://bit.ly/29nus4v.

Investigations of employee complaints can be tricky and fraught processes, often with high stakes, that employers of all sizes face. This podcast discussion will help you navigate not only the basics of the investigation process, but also will give you insight into some of the more subtle issues surrounding confidentiality, potential conflicts and privilege. Click here to read the accompanying article: http://bit.ly/1iTXJ6P.

The July 1, 2015 deadline is here: California employers of all sizes must provide paid sick leave to their employees in compliance with California’s new paid sick leave laws, known as the Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act of 2014.

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Administering the Family and Medical Leave Act ("FMLA") is challenging in general and employers continue to rank certifications of and tracking FMLA Intermittent Leave among the most difficult human resources challenges they face. This podcast clarifies the intricacies of Intermittent Leave and offer tools to assist employers in effectively handling problematic FMLA Intermittent Leave issues. Click here for the accompanying article: http://bit.ly/1GpSeSF.

Training initiatives require time and money - precious commodities in most organizations. In this podcast, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to make the most of your investment including: the legal and best practices rationales for your training efforts; the pluses and minuses of each training option, including internal resources, outside counsel or outside vendors and when to consider a web-based or web-conference training option; the elements of a great training class; who needs training and how often and on what; the most effective way to articulate the business case for training. Click here for more information: http://bit.ly/1NaHlYU.

The laws affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (“LGBT”) individuals in the workplace are constantly changing. There have been significant developments in this area of the law recently at both the state and federal levels - up to and including the date of this podcast. Click here for the accompanying article: http://bit.ly/1KReb0x.

For years, employers have investigated complaints of discrimination and harassment on a confidential basis. In light of recent decisions by the NLRB, however, employers should abandon their practice of requesting confidentiality in every investigation and limit this request only to those investigations where confidentiality is “truly necessary” to protect against evidence destruction, witness endangerment or to prevent a cover up.

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