Monthly Archives: September 2013

Fatalities Result In Largest Ever Canadian Criminal Negligence Fines On Corporation

Posted on September 25, 2013 by mavity2012

One should never assume that safety regulation is the same in Canada and other English-speaking countries as in the U.S.  I often look to the U.K., Australian and Canadian Occupational Safety Administrations for practical ideas for compliance, but the systems … Continue reading →

Posted in civil and criminal exposure, construction | Leave a comment

Firing Etiquette

Posted on September 25, 2013 by mavity2012

A senior HR professional asked when to have HR sit in on a termination.  As with many good questions, the answer is that “it depends on the facts.”  Here are a few initial observations before we get to the central … Continue reading →

Posted in discipline and discharge, discrimination, employer policies, management and leadership, managing legal matters, performance management, whistleblower/retaliation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

What Can the Encyclopedia Teach us About safety and HR?

Posted on September 21, 2013 by mavity2012

 The New York Times and other publications are running articles pondering the end of the written version of the Encyclopedia Britannica and what that says about society.  We were a “World Book” family, but I have waxed nostalgic about growing … Continue reading →

Posted in books and articles, employer policies, generational differences, safety programs, safety technology and apps, social media, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Feds Let Hawaii OSH Resume Regulating Manufacturing

Posted on September 16, 2013 by mavity2012

(from Honolulu Civil Beat) Hawaii is starting to get its act together when it comes to workplace safety and the feds are taking notice. The Obama administration is letting the state reassume responsibility for regulating manufacturing industries, according to an … Continue reading →

Posted in manufacturing, OSHA, state osha plans | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Do You Really Know How To Manage an OSHA Inspection?

Posted on September 13, 2013 by mavity2012

From my friends at SafetyBLR.com: August 30, 2013 By Howard Mavity, partner, Fisher & Phillips, LLP Many articles on handling OSHA inspections provide the same basic guidelines and little explanation of why an employer should take certain steps. Readers already … Continue reading →

Posted in government inspections, OSHA | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Accidental Supervisor

Posted on September 13, 2013 by mavity2012

My longtime friend, Linwood Smith, V.P. Risk Management of T.A. Loving Company selected this title for a presentation he asked me to make at this week’s Carolinas AGC combined Annual Safety and Human Resources Conference.  Linwood and I share several … Continue reading →

Posted in cultural changes, discipline and discharge, employer benefit plans, management and leadership, performance management, supervisor development | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

All Employers Face October 1st Health Reform Deadline

Posted on September 11, 2013 by mavity2012

  With the Health Insurance Marketplace created by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) set to open its figurative doors for enrollment on October 1, 2013, employers face a new obligation.  Nearly all employers must distribute a notice … Continue reading →

Posted in Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, Washington | Tagged | Leave a comment

More On Ellen Widess’ Resignation as Cal-OSHA Head

Posted on September 5, 2013 by mavity2012

Yesterday, we broke the news on our Fisher & Phillips LLP Workplace Safety Blog that  Ellen Widess had abruptly resigned as head of Cal-OSHA.  We reported: September 4, 2013 08:57 by Howard Mavity I just learned from Fred Walter at … Continue reading →

Posted in Cal-OSHA, OSHA, Washington | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

EEOC Loses (Again) On Criminal-Background Checks

Posted on September 5, 2013 by mavity2012

  EEOC Loses (Again) On Criminal-Background Checks Date: September 1, 2013 By Edward Harold (Retail Industry Update, No. 3, September 2013) Last year, we wrote about the EEOC’s then-new guidance on the use of criminal-background checks in hiring decisions. [“Using … Continue reading →

Posted in background checks/examinations, class actions/systemic investigation, EEOC, employer policies, hospitality, retail | Tagged | Leave a comment

The One OSHA Post Retailers Must Read.

Posted on September 4, 2013 by mavity2012

If you are in any aspect of retail and a member of LinkedIn, you really need to read the comments on this post on one of the OSHA and Safety sites, “Have You Checked Your Means of Egress lately? Dollar … Continue reading →

Posted in boycotts, hospitality, retail, safety programs, unions | Tagged , , | Leave a comment