Personnel Law (4th Edition) [Paperback]

Kenneth Sovereign (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0130200387 | ISBN-13: 978-0130200389 | Publication Date: October 10, 1998 | Edition: 4

The Fourth Edition offers a comprehensive treatment of the entire subject of personnel law that reflects the author's personal experience as both a practicing lawyer and personnel director. Written in simple language that bridges the gap between law and human relations management, the new edition explores the legal considerations that occur when an employer-employee relationship is established, and focuses on permissible activities in handling personnel problems, when to seek legal counsel, and how to stay out of court. Offers new case law where the legal principles have been changed by the courts. Covers all the new statutes. Continues to find an economical way for the Epersonnel function to live with its law partner,<70> whose principles are laid down by legislation and interpreted by the courts. An excellent resource for those in the personnel/ human resources field.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Written in simple language that bridges the gap between law and human relations management, this comprehensive treatment of the entire subject of personnel law reflects the author's personal experience as both a practicing lawyer and personnel director. It explores the legal considerations that occur when an employer-employee relationship is established, and focuses on permissible activities in handling personnel problems, when to seek legal counsel, and how to stay out of court. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

The Fourth Edition offers a comprehensive treatment of the entire subject of personnel law that reflects the author's personal experience as both a practicing lawyer and personnel director. Written in simple language that bridges the gap between law and human relations management, the new edition explores the legal considerations that occur when an employer-employee relationship is established, and focuses on permissible activities in handling personnel problems, when to seek legal counsel, and how to stay out of court. Offers new case law where the legal principles have been changed by the courts. Covers all the new statutes. Continues to find an economical way for the Epersonnel function to live with its law partner, whose principles are laid down by legislation and interpreted by the courts. An excellent resource for those in the personnel/ human resources field.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 4 edition (October 10, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130200387
• ISBN-13: 978-0130200389
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #977,140 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #69 in Books > Law > Specialties > Labor Law

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Adequate on the law; suffers from poor editing, February 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Personnel Law (Paperback)

I have to use this book as the text for a class I teach in Employment Law (i.e., non-collective-bargaining law) to students matriculating to a Master of Science Degree in Human Resources. The text adequately surveys the law, but suffers from terrible proofing and editing; it also needs an update, because the 1994 edition obviously was not written any later than early 1993, based on the omission of certain important U.S. Supreme Court cases from 1994 and since. The book also suffers from an extremely strong pro-management tone; a more balanced approach would serve the untutored reader better. There are better books, such as the ABA Guide, which I commend to potential readers of this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars do NOT use this as a textbook, November 5, 2002

By 

Catherine Collingwood (Atlanta, GA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Personnel Law (4th Edition) (Paperback)

The very first sentence of the Prologue of this book contains a grammatical error (it should be "principles," not "principals") and I am sorry to say that things don't get much better. I purchased this book as a text for an Employment Law class and it was terrible; I quit using it halfway through the course and recommended the instructor find another text. The author seems to think he's the most credible person in the world but, as someone who is also a human resources practitioner, I can assert from experience that many of his opinions (several of which are presented as "facts") are wrong. He clearly doesn't even understand what the field of human resources IS, and in many cases I found his tone very offensive.

In addition to using more current information, Sovereign would be well-advised to better consider his audience and to research the field of human resources in general. I would suggest he start with professional organizations such as SHRM or ASTD; the advice and information on their web sites is far superior to anything in this text.

4.0 out of 5 stars an important and necessary book for the manager or supervisor, April 22, 2010

By 

J. Robert Ewbank (Mobile, Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Personnel Law (4th Edition) (Paperback)

This book by Kenneth Sovereign is a very readable book on personnel or Human Resource Management law.
The Human Resource Manager, manager, supervisor or others conderned with managing and supervising people should have a book such as this at their fingertips. It is a necessary part of being a real manager or supervisor.

A good read for those in business.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the 'Isms'"