Employment Laws All Managers Need to Know

Attend this course and avoid costly court cases by discovering how to:

• Hire, manage, discipline and terminate employees without violating the rights of protected classes
• Write documentation that will hold up in court
• Create a workplace environment where all employees feel valued and included
• Provide reasonable accommodations for employees under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Conduct an investigation of sexual harassment charges legally and respectfully
• Protect the rights of whistleblowers and shield them from retaliation
• Navigate the complexities of FMLA
• Identify resources to stay up to date on evolving laws
• Have a plan for addressing legal and illegal drug use
• And much more

Managing in today’s workplace — more than overseeing your employees’ job duties

Today, managers need to be well-versed in the legalities of employment law. Making employees feel safe and represented in the workplace is a huge concern for every Human Resources Department, and knowledgeable managers can help alleviate some of the pressures with this concern.

Creating a culture that includes open communication, a creative work environment and individual accountability is merely skimming the surface of what it means to manage employees. As a manager, you also need to…

• Follow the correct laws when hiring and firing
• Create a safe work environment by federal standards
• Protect and educate employees about harassment (bullying, sexual misconduct, etc.)
• Accommodate any employees with disabilities
• Minimize safety hazards and risks
• Deal with the legal challenges of having remote workers on staff

And this is just a few of the many legal issues managers must quickly become familiar with. Luckily, Employment Laws All Managers Need to Know will prepare you for the legal aspects you will encounter as a manger.

What it Means to be an Equal Opportunity Employer

• Review the list of protected classes under Title VII as it keeps growing – do you know the latest additions?
• Discover where federal and state laws differ on sexual orientation, gender identity and lifestyle laws
• Learn the new definitions of disability and implementing reasonable accommodations without causing undue hardship
• Find out if English-only rules are legal in the workplace

Creating an Inclusive and Respectful Workplace

• Recognize the difference between workplace bullying and a hostile workplace
• Learn smart practices that minimize the risk of sexual harassment in the workplace
• Handle complaints and conduct investigations about harassment or discrimination quickly, fairly and legally
• Discover whistleblower protections and retaliation restrictions
• Avoid common pitfalls of diversity and inclusion training

Talent Acquisition and the Law

• See a checklist of questions you can and cannot ask in an interview
• Learn what interviewers say to create an “implied contract” and how to avoid those promises
• Discover the latest information on pre-employment testing: what’s permissible, what’s not and how testing legally impacts your organization
• Find out how to use social media to screen applicants and follow a social media policy that protects the reputation of your organization and the privacy of your employees

Performance Reviews, Discipline and Discharge

• Identify if your current disciplinary practices safeguard you from charges of wrongful termination
• Learn how to use an effective progressive discipline plan
• Discover how, when and why to keep a file of all performance issues
• Avoid legal hardships by learning why not to use inflated performance reviews
• Find out how the courts currently view the “at-will” employment and discharge concept.

Pay Practices

• Recognize key guidelines in determining how to legally classify contingent workers and how it can impact your business
• Find out what’s new in our 24/7 world when addressing minimum wage, overtime, compensable hours
• Distinguish between and learn how record keeping can impact exempt and non-exempt employees
• Discover how to handle breaks, recordkeeping, equipment, worker’s comp and other remote worker issues

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

• Learn major provisions of FMLA, including employers’ rights and responsibilities
• Understand the reasons leave varies from state to state for eligible employees
• Discover FMLA’s 12-month options and intermittent FMLA leave
• Communicate FMLA leave arrangements with employees, line managers and HR
• Recognize the importance of FMLA documentation

Employee Privacy Rights

• Find out how the courts view information, files, email, correspondence and other potentially valuable “intellectual property”
• Discover what to include in a social media policy for employees
• Recognize how you should be safeguarding your employees’ (and customers’) private information

Workplace Safety

• Determine how the Drug-Free Workplace Act affects your company
• Learn the various laws and rules when it comes to medical marijuana use
• Discover what OSHA requires of every employer and how to ensure your workplace complies
• Explore realistic guidelines to minimize incidents of workplace violence and identify potential problems before they erupt

Keeping Current on Personnel Policies and Procedures

• Assess your present system: perform a quick legal audit of the policies and procedures in use at your workplace
• Learn the latest legislation and legal issues
• Discover pending legal issues that could greatly impact your present practices
• Find out how recent court decisions affect you and how to stay on top of constantly changing employment laws