Blawg in the News
Media mentions of the Blawg:
Wall Street Journal
“Manpower GC (and Elvis Impersonator) Launches Blog”
For obvious reasons, Manpower is a pretty good place to practice employment law, and Toth wants to share his wisdom with the people.
Newsweek
“Hooking Up At Work?”
Consensual relationship agreements are just another case of “overlawyering,” says Mark Toth, the chief legal officer for Manpower North America, an outplacement and employment services company based in Milwaukee. “It forces [employers] to become the love police, consistently enforcing who’s dating whom,” Toth says. And he’s not sure if such contracts will necessarily protect companies from litigation. A subordinate signing a love contract might claim that he or she signed under duress or that harassment began after the contract was signed.
MainStreet.com
“Can Reality TV Get You Fired in Real Life?”
The smartest way to proceed is to talk to your manager before you commit to anything advises Mark Toth, chief legal officer at Manpower North America. “Say, ‘I have this opportunity, I think it could be good publicity for the company. What do you think?’” he suggests. Written documentation is key, says Toth, “so try to get it in email if you can.”
Inc.com
“What Elvis Can Teach You About Employment Law”
By most definitions, employment law isn’t exactly fun. But a new blog uses comedy and interactive gimmicks to engage and educate business owners on the topic.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Pulling Pranks the Right Way”
“People often do foolish things in the workplace. It just kind of is concentrated on April Fools’ Day,” said Mark Toth, chief legal officer and chief compliance officer at Manpower North America. People can abandon common sense at work on April Fools’ Day, Toth said, and unleash practical jokes they’ve kept to themselves all year.
The Business Journal
“Manpower Launches Employment Law Blog”
Manpower Inc. has developed a new blog that will focus on what the company calls the often-ignored, sometimes boring but highly important topic of employment law.
Chicago Sun-Times
“‘Love Contracts’ Keep TV and Real-life Employers Busy”
“The best form of employee training is to have your staff watch ‘The Office’ and tell them to do the opposite,” Toth joked. With the country in a recession and layoffs happening everywhere, it should come as no surprise that sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuits are on the rise, Toth said. But while companies might have good reason to be nervous about any inner-office romance, he doesn’t believe love contracts are the answer. “It’s over-lawyering to an extreme,” he said. “Most companies usually have adequate legal protection in their existing sexual harassment and discrimination policies. Provided, of course, they are enforcing those policies fairly and consistently.”
HR.com
“New Manpower Blog is Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Employment Law”
“Don’t get me wrong. I like attorneys. I am an attorney,” said Toth. “It’s just that I’d like to help companies avoid paying lots of money to attorneys unnecessarily.”
National Law Journal and Law.com
“Spying Employers Raise Legal Hackles”
“[M]ake sure you have all the facts and hear the employee out before taking action. ‘It really comes down to: Don’t assume anything,’ said Toth, the chief legal officer for Manpower North America. ‘There is more than meets the eye. And if you’re an employer, act once you have the facts, but not before.’”
Computer World
“Mainstream Blogging”
Manpower Inc., the employment services firm, this week unveiled its new Manpower Employment Blawg, which will be written by “Manpower’s resident comedian, singer-songwriter and North American Chief Legal Officer Mark Toth,” the company noted.
Chicago Sun-Times
“Love in the Workplace”
“People are working together in closer proximity. They are spending more and more time at work,” said Mark Toth, chief legal officer for the Milwaukee-based employment agency Manpower of North America. “When you spend that much time together, romance can happen.” Many companies frown on love alliances among their workers, even going so far as to force dating employees to sign ‘”love contracts.” Toth said the reasons are abundantly clear. “Unless the relationship ends in marriage, it will probably end in breakup,” Toth advised. “Men and women are equally filing harassment claims after a work breakup.” And it isn’t just the former couples filing suits in retaliation. “I’ve seen every type of claim, including co-workers who sued for emotional distress because a workplace romance was nauseating them,” Toth said.
TheLawyer.com
“Web Week”
Toth’s blog is a lot more entertaining than many law blogs out there. His turn as Elvis singing to a doughnut in a video explaining employment mistakes has to be seen to be believed.
