The Employer's Legal Handbook: How to Manage Your Employees & Workplace, 16th Edition

Handle employment decisions with confidence, whether your employees are onsite or remote Employment laws change often. Staying on top of them is essential to running an efficient, fair workplace—and heading off expensive lawsuits. Use this must-have desk reference to find answers to workplace questions, quickly and easily. The Employer’s Legal Handbook is the go-to guide for business owners and managers. It covers the most common and current employment law issues you need to know about, including • applications, interviews, and hiring • must-have personnel policies • wage and hour laws • employee discipline and performance reviews • health insurance and other employee benefits • employee taxes and payroll • family and medical leave • employee privacy • illegal harassment and discrimination, and • terminations, downsizing, and layoffs. The 16th edition provides updated 50-state legal information and explains the latest developments in employment law, including the rise of the remote workforce. Cover Title Page Table of Contents All the Law Employers Need to Know 1. Hiring Legal Guidelines for Hiring Employees Job Descriptions Job Advertisements Job Applications Interviews Testing Investigations Making a Job Offer Rejecting Applicants Tax Compliance Immigration Law Requirements New Hire Reporting Form 2. Personnel Practices Employee Files Employee Handbooks Employee Performance Reviews Disciplining Employees 3. Wages and Hours Overtime and Minimum Wage Requirements Equal Pay Requirements How to Pay Employees Calculating Work Hours Record-Keeping Requirements Child Labor Rules Payroll Withholding The Consequences of Bending the Rules 4. Employee Benefits Health Care Coverage Retirement Plans Other Employee Benefits 5. Taxes Employer Identification Numbers Federal Employment Taxes Federal Self-Employment Taxes Federal Tax Deductions for Salaries and Other Expenses Independent Contractors Statutory Employees 6. Family and Medical Leave Who Is Covered Reasons for Taking a Leave Scheduling Leave Temporary Transfer to Another Job Substituting Paid Leave Advance Notice of Leave Certification Health Benefits Returning to Work Related Laws Enforcement 7. Health and Safety The Occupational Safety and Health Act Getting Help State OSHA Laws Hazardous Chemicals Workers’ Compensation Smoking and Vaping Drug and Alcohol Abuse Repetitive Stress Disorder 8. Illegal Discrimination Title VII of the Civil Rights Act Harassment Age Pregnancy Citizenship Genetic Information Religion Sexual Orientation and Transgender Status State and Local Antidiscrimination Laws 9. Workers With Disabilities The Americans With Disabilities Act Businesses That Are Covered Who Is Protected Exceptions to Coverage Providing Reasonable Accommodations Workers With Emotional or Mental Impairments Financial Assistance Health and Safety Standards Medical Exams Enforcement 10. Termination Wrongful Discharge Cases Guarding Against Legal Claims Guidelines for Firing Employees Investigating Complaints Against Workers Alternatives to Firing The Firing Process Heading Off Trouble Final Paychecks Continuing Health Insurance Unemployment Compensation Protecting Your Business Information Handling Postemployment Inquiries 11. Employee Privacy Monitoring Employees at Work Keeping Tabs on Remote Employees Searches Off-Duty Activities 12. Independent Contractors Comparing Employees and Independent Contractors The IRS Rules Workers Automatically Classified as Employees State Laws The Risks of Misclassification Hiring Independent Contractors 13. Unions The National Labor Relations Act Unionizing a Workplace Employer Rights and Limitations Employee Rights and Limitations Making Unions Unnecessary 14. Lawyers and Legal Research Getting Help From a Lawyer Paying a Lawyer Resolving Problems With Your Lawyer Legal Research Appendix Labor Departments and Agencies State Drug and Alcohol Testing Laws State Laws on Employee Arrest and Conviction Records State Laws on Access to Personnel Records State Minimum Wage Laws for Tipped and Regular Employees State Meal and Rest Break Laws State Health Insurance Continuation Laws State Family and Medical Leave Laws State Laws Prohibiting Discrimination in Employment State Laws That Control Final Paychecks Index Book Registration A legal guide for American employers, managers, and HR professionals. Federal and state employment laws have seen a raft of changes in recent years, from family and medical leave rights to workplace safety and employee privacy. For employers, staying on top of these changes is essential to running an efficient, fair workplace--and heading off expensive lawsuits.The Employer's Legal Handbook covers all the employment law issues you need to know about, including the latest rules and best practices when it comes to: applications, interviews and hiring workplace health and safety wage and hour laws remote working health care and other employee benefits employee taxes and payroll family and medical leave employee privacy illegal harassment and discrimination, and downsizing and layoffs. The 16th edition includes updated 50-state legal information and explains the latest developments in employment law, including how to manage the shift to a remote workforce.