Tag: FTC

FTC’s Proposed Rule to Ban Noncompetes May Have Significant Effect on Healthcare Industry

Earlier this year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a proposed rule that would bar noncompete provisions in most employment agreements. Among other things, the proposed rule would not only bar noncompete provisions in employment agreements but also prohibit such provisions when a business is sold by someone holding less than a 25% ownership interest. […]

Cybersecurity

FTC Urges Employers to Restrict Internal Access to Personal Data

The importance of restricting internal access to personal information was the subject of a recent blog post by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC, which exercises data privacy and security enforcement authority over all for-profit companies, identified specific organizational do’s and don’ts for preventing the compromise of employee or consumer data.

Don’t Deny It, Social Media Is Mainstream—and Full of Pitfalls

Don’t try to deny it, social media is mainstream now, says Attorney Jonathan Segal, and its influence is only going to grow. Before too long, the workplace will be 75 percent Millennials, and they use social media with a vengeance. (By the way, Boomers aren’t that far behind, he adds.)   Social Media includes, for […]

It’s, Like, Dishonest

Litigation Value:  Dunder Mifflin faces potential FTC sanctions for Erin and Pete’s fake “like” marketing campaign on Facebook. “Customer Loyalty” aired back in January, and I highly recommend Kristin’s post questioning the validity of Dwight’s loyalty pledge.  I might add that such a pledge is probably not necessary considering that most states recognize in some […]

The 11 E-Info Risks—Realistic and Legal Policies

Beachboard, who is a shareholder in the Los Angeles office of employment law firm Ogletree Deakins, details the risks in today’s Advisor. He made his comments at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition held recently in Atlanta. 1. Leaks of Company Information The risk of unwanted disclosures is at the top of CEOs’ worries, says […]

Investigating Sexual Harassment Complaints: Why Utilizing Outside Investigators Is Becoming More Complex—And Controversial

Employers are frequently reminded of their legal obligation to promptly and thoroughly investigate all sexual harassment complaints and, as a result, often call in lawyers or specially trained consultants to conduct a complete and objective inquiry. But a controversial new government opinion suggests that using outside investigators could result in your inadvertently breaking a federal […]

Background Checks: Complying With The New Federal Rules

  Congress recently changed the Fair Credit Reporting Act to require employers who obtain background reports on applicants and employees to follow detailed new authorization and disclosure rules. In an earlier article we described how these rules apply to credit reports. In this follow-up story, we’ll explain what the new law means for employers who […]

Background Checks: Important New Credit Report Rules; Plus A 6-Point Compliance Guide

Credit reports can be a useful tool for screening job applicants, but using them recently became more complex. That’s because of several important changes to the federal Consumer Credit Reporting Reform Act that are effective September 30, 1997. If you violate these provisions or a similar state law, you can be sued for steep penalties, […]