The law touches almost every aspect of the relationship between employers and their employees. Hundreds of articles are written every year about legal developments that impact this relationship. This book is a compilation of the best of these articles that were written between March 1, 2013, and February 28, 2014. This time frame was selected because it includes end-of-year articles that review key changes in the law during 2013 and beginning-of-year articles that cover trends and action items for 2014.

The articles in this collection were written by leading US employment law experts. In selecting these articles, the goal was to include articles that are concise, clearly-written, practical, and relevant to the responsibilities of business owners, managers, and human resource professionals—and to their legal advisors.

The result is a mixture of two types of articles. Some articles focus on fundamental, recurring legal concerns. These include, for example, articles on employer responsibilities relating to holiday activities, off-duty conduct, record keeping, reductions in force, retaliation, seasonal workers, severance agreements, trade secrets, and workplace violence.

Other articles address issues that have recently received national attention as a result of changes in the business and legal environment. These include articles on employer responsibilities relating to criminal background checks, Bring Your Own Device policies, workplace bullying, electronic communications, “leaning in,” obesity, social media, telecommuting, and workplace wellness programs.

The articles are organized into four groupings. The first group (“Opening Test”) will test whether you have a sound understanding of employers’ legal responsibilities. The second group (“Broad Coverage”) includes review articles that summarize legal developments in 2013 and agendas for 2014. Articles in the third group (“Global Concerns”) address US employers’ increasing concerns with the legal environment outside the United States. The fourth group of articles (“Specific Topics”) comprises most of the book and covers specific topics relating to ongoing and emerging legal responsibilities of employers.

We hope that the resources in this book will help you achieve business success in a responsible manner.