A dictionary of basic employment law jargon. I would say it would be most useful to small business owners who do not have an HR department. The only thing I would have liked to see in this book is more legal references and court cases.

Put it under the tree or in a stocking for your favorite HR person or manager.

I approached this book by reviewing seven different HR situations I encountered in the last five years. In all but one case there was a clear answer or guidance that could have saved the employer both consternation and money.

You don't tell a fifty-four year old licensed part-time employee that they are too old to work full time. Don't tell a three week new hire that an eyebrow piercing is cause for termination when a) it isn't covered in the contract, and b) 10% of your fourteen hundred employees have facial piercings. It is bad from for a government agency to pay a Per Diem employee for only four of the five days worked because, "we have always done it that way."

In each of those cases, and the others I researched, Mangers and HR staff would have received the guidance they needed.

This book is what it says it is. The Essential HR (Quick) Desk Reference to Employment Law. If nothing else, it helps the reader formulate the questions they ask counsel. ( )

A useful addition to the bookshelf of anyone who is responsible for keeping an eye on a company's legal obligations to its work force. It provides the answers to many questions that arise frequently and would also be helpful in making the decision as to when the lawyers should become involved. The parts that I've sampled appear very user friendly. ( )

This is an excellently put-together encyclopedia of employment-law concepts, terms, and issues. There's just enough detail to steer a person without a legal background in the right direction, without being overwhelming. The definitions are concise and clear, and the book allows the reader to develop an accurate vocabulary for seeking out additional, more detailed information on topics of interest.

The book is somewhat limited by its format and audience. There are places where additional detail could be helpful, especially where laws and requirements differ state-by-state, and I think the book does a good job of identifying some of these situations, though it could do a little better. However, the book isn't intended to be either exhaustive or a substitute for a lawyer in situations where an employer needs actual legal advice, so this isn't so much a criticism as a caveat.

The publisher, Nolo, also offers extensive online resources for people interested in human resources and employment law issues, and with the book these provide a really solid knowledge base for individuals working with employment issues on a small scale to do so intelligently and in an informed way. Altogether quite well done. ( )

This book is an encyclopedia of Employment Law and terminology.

Depending on the topic it gives an easy to understand description, how companies apply it, an example story, how it was applied in historic court cases, and/or some related terms so you can look up additional information.

Along with standard terminology it covers specific laws, court cases, and government agencies. Here are some random topics:
- Alternative dispute resolution
- COBRA – Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985
- Drug testing
- Kolstad v. American Dental Association
- Light duty
- National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
- Open shop
- Similarly situated

I found it well written and easy to understand. As I need more references I will certainly be looking at others NOLO has to offer.