RSVP for Two Must-Attend Webinars

Yesterday, Sacramento got its first 90-degree day of 2011, and forecasters say it could hit the high 80s today. We grumble about the heat as we walk from our air-conditioned offices to our air-conditioned cars, but what if we worked outside, under the sun?

California businesses with outdoor workers must protect those workers from heat illness, and those businesses shouldn’t forget that they need to comply with Cal/OSHA’s amended heat illness regulations, which took effect late last year.

Register for our Heat Illness Prevention Webinar to learn:

• How to comply with the new rules
• What employers must do to prevent heat illness

Thursday, May 12, 2011, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. PST

 

Hiring new employees can be challenging. Not only does hiring a new employee create lots of administrative tasks, an applicant who’s not selected for the job could file a lawsuit against the employer alleging unfair hiring practices.

Even if an employer doesn’t feel comfortable hiring new employees, promoting an employee to a higher rank or position could also create the same problem – an employee who was passed over for the promotion could file a discrimination lawsuit against the employer.

Register for our How to Hire Employees Webinar to learn:

• How to avoid discrimination
• Best practices and pitfalls of testing employees being considered for promotion, and background checks and reference checks for potential new hires

Thursday, May 12, 2011, 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. PST

Erika Frank, General Counsel, California Chamber of Commerce

DFEH Puts a $150,000 Price Tag on Sexual Harassment Case

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) today announced a $150,000 settlement of a lawsuit filed against the owners of Esquire Cocktail Lounge in Bakersfield, California for workplace sexual harassment. According to the DFEH, bar owner David Rubio sexually harassed and assaulted bartender Christina McQuiston. He allegedly took pictures of her without permission, instructed patrons to throw objects on the floor so McQuiston could bend over in front of Rubio to pick them up, grabbed her by the waist, and purposely obstructed McQuiston’s path so he could rub his body against hers.

The Department also accused Rubio of grabbing and sexually assaulting McQuiston while she was alone with him in the back office placing glasses in cold storage. When she broke away from Rubio and ran into the bar for help, Rubio allegedly shouted expletives at McQuiston and told her she was fired.

Rubio declared bankruptcy but agreed not to challenge the $150,000 claim for damages the plaintiff filed in bankruptcy court. Should Rubio start a business before March 31, 2011, he is also required to develop and post a policy prohibiting sexual harassment in the business he owns and provide sexual harassment prevention training for all employees and managers. The settlement also required Rubio to undergo two sessions of gender counseling or sensitivity training and post a notice in The Bakersfield Californian stating that a lawsuit was filed against him for sexual harassment.

Employers can help minimize their liability for sexual harassment claims by implementing effective training for supervisors and employees. CalBizCentral offers online training for both supervisors and employees. California companies with 50 or more employees are required by law to provide all supervisors two hours of sexual harassment prevention training within six months of hire or promotion, and every two years thereafter.

DOL Offers COBRA Compliance Assistance Workshop in San Francisco

The Department of Labor's (DOL) Employee Benefits Security Administration is offering a COBRA Compliance Workship in San Francisco's Federal Building on the morning of March 23, 2010. Registration pamphlets are available online.

For those who cannot make the workshop, the DOL's Webcast about the new Cobra Premium Reduction Extension is stil available for free. The Webcast offers compliance assistance to employers and plan administrators, and is now available online, free of charge. You'll have to enter your e-mail address, at a bare minimum, to view the program.

Free COBRA Subsidy Extension Compliance Webcast Now Available

On January 22nd, the Department of Labor hosted a Webcast about the new Cobra Premium Reduction Extension. The Webcast offers compliance assistance to employers and plan administrators, and is now available online, free of charge. You'll have to enter your e-mail address, at a bare minimum, to view the program.

DOL Offers Free COBRA Subsidy Extension Webcast

In the upcoming webcast, the Department of Labor will join with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service to discuss the COBRA Premium Reduction Extension. The online event will provide assistance in complying with the new requirements, including the model notices and transition period. According to the DOL, "If you are an employer who is trying to comply with Federal COBRA regarding your health plan, or if you are a third party administrator or a carrier with questions about the new law, this is your chance to hear from the federal regulators and have the opportunity to ask them questions."