Hiring & Firing

NJ votes to increase minimum wage to $8.25

November 7, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

On Election Day, NJ voters approved a constitutional amendment increasing the state’s minimum wage by $1, from $7.25 to $8.25. The new wage rate will take effect on January 1, and future increases will be tied to inflation.

Governor Chris Christie, who was re-elected on Tuesday had opposed the increase, claiming that the state’s economy would have a difficult time withstanding the increase.

New Jersey becomes the 20th state to establish a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum of $7.25.

Nearly half of employers investigate job applicants online

October 21, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

This according to a CareerBuilder.com survey (here) released last week.

Of the 2,775 hiring managers polled, almost half (48%) responded that employers will use Google or other search engines to research candidates. Nearly the same number (44%) will research the candidate on Facebook. Just over one quarter (27%) will monitor the candidate’s activity on Twitter. 23% will review the candidate’s posts or comments on Yelp.com, Glassdoor.com or other rating sites.

The survey cites these statistics as a way to encourage job seekers to keep their online personas clean from digital dirt. So, I’ll take a different approach and offer some tips for employers:

That’s what they said: Social media and the workplace and the lawsuits

October 16, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

One social media-related post in October. One may be good enough for the Red Sox — eat it, Detroit — not here.

So, with a little help from my friends, I’ve got three stories on the the impact that the technology in the workplace has on litigation proceedings.

Over at the Technology & Marketing Law Blog, Venkat Balasubramani writes here about a recent decision in which a court found that a passenger’s social media rant against and airline employee may not have been defamation, but it was enough to create a claim of “false light.”

Fan gets fired for playing hooky to maintain his Yankee Stadium attendance streak

October 3, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

You’re probably thinking to yourself, “What kind of person cares that much about going to a baseball game that he would risk losing his job over it?”

The guy who hasn’t missed a Yankees home game for 38 years.

According to this CBS2 New York Report, Joseph Neubauer, who hadn’t missed a Yankees home game since the 1970’s, was fired from his position because he didn’t want to mess up an attendance streak at Yankee Stadium.

Woman’s Kanye-inspired “take this job and shove it” video goes viral. Would YOU hire her?

October 1, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

Here’s the video:

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew_tdY0V4Zo

Here’s the question:

Your resume is in Klingon, plus 11 other ways not to impress the hiring manager

September 20, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

Last week, CareerBuilder.com released its survey and study of resume do’s and don’ts. The one I received on used toilet paper was both a do-do and a don’t. But, at least she used 12-point Times New Roman. Still, that didn’t make the list. Here’s what did…

How long should a resume be?

Two pages max; one page if you are a recent college grad.

GUEST POST: Three keys to maximizing your onboarding success

September 9, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

Today we have a guest blogger at The Employer Handbook. It’s Holly DePalma. Holly is Director, HR Services at MidAtlantic Employers’ Association, a single source for HR services, delivering responsive, practical solutions to its members.

(Want to guest blog on an employment-law topic at The Employer Handbook? Email me).

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Hiring managers share 10 awesome job pitches, and 10 epic fails!

August 9, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

There’s a fine line between genius and insanity.

Voting for this blog for the ABA Journal Blawg100 (today is the last day to nominate blogs, so, please, please, please): genius;
Boston Red Sox Chardonnay: nutbars.

Judge dismisses “Borgata Babes'” claims of weight discrimination

August 5, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

Sex sells. So, when 22 female cocktail servers at an Atlantic City casino pursued claims of discrimination based on their appearance, it came as little shock to me that the judge wasn’t buying.

Last month, a New Jersey state court dismissed a lawsuit against the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, brought by cocktail waitresses known as the “Borgata Babes,” who claimed that they were victims of gender and weight discrimination.

Jennifer Bogdan, writing here for the Press of Atlantic City, notes that, upon hire, Borgata told its servers that they must appear “physically fit” with their weight proportionate to their height and, ultimately, banned the servers from gaining more than 7 percent of their body weight. Supposedly, the women were subject to periodic weight checks and suspension for failing to meet the weight requirements, with exceptions made for medical conditions and pregnancy.

GUEST POST: 3 ways to avoid Macy’s recent immigration workplace problems

July 16, 2013 | by Eric B. Meyer

Today we have a guest blogger at The Employer Handbook. It’s my colleague, Kristen Repyneck. Kristen is an associate at Dilworth Paxson LLP where she represents clients seeking non-immigrant and immigrant visas through family, employment, and investment, including investment in USCIS certified regional centers under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program.

(Want to guest blog at The Employer Handbook? Email me).

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