PTO – What Employers Need to Know

It’s the bane of many employers’ existence. How much paid time off do I have to give? How much should I give? Can I place strings on it? Blackout dates? Two-week notice requirement? Probationary periods? Sick time or vacation? Does it matter? Emp… Read More
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When Complaints Become Protected: A Practical Guide to Concerted Activity

Here’s an everyday scenario for your consideration: A company issues its annual merit-based raises to all its employees. Two employees are overheard discussing their bonuses in the break room, with one wondering out loud why the other got more than… Read More
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When Off-Duty Behavior Follows Employees Back to Work

Can a company discipline, or even terminate, an employee who misbehaves outside of work? Here’s the scenario: a warehouse operations supervisor at a Maryland distribution company disciplines an employee for repeated safety violations and insubordin… Read More
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The Fine Print of At-Will Employment

“This employment is at-will, which means either party can terminate it at any time, for any reason, or for no reason at all.” This is a standard clause that we routinely draft in employment agreements, and iterate in handbooks, in big, bold lette… Read More
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What is the Purpose of an Employee Handbook?

Handbooks. If you’ve ever worked for a company, chances are you’ve been handed one of these. They can run from a few pages to several hundred, often contain inexplicable passages of dense legalese, and are generally skimmed through briefl… Read More
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