Tuesday, January 18, 2011

For legal compliance, don’t jump off the bridge

When I was a child, whenever I wanted to do something popular that my parents disapproved of, they would caution me, “If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?” I hated when they said that. Yet, now that I am a parent, I find myself saying the same thing to my kids. Today, I am also going to say it to my readers.

Just because a particular employment practice is popular or widespread does not mean it’s legal. There are lots of practices in use at lots of companies that do not pass legal muster:

This list could go on and on. The point is that popular employment practices aren’t necessarily legal employment practices. You should not rely on the company-next-door for your legal compliance. Instead, invest a few dollars in a comprehensive review by a qualified attorney. Heck, some of us will even get started for free.

[Hat tip: Wage and Hour Laws]


Presented by Kohrman Jackson & Krantz, with offices in Cleveland and Columbus. For more information, contact Jon Hyman, a partner in our Labor & Employment group, at (216) 736-7226 or jth@kjk.com.