Like most managers, you’re probably inundated with mailings from companies offering the latest labor law postings for a fee. But you don’t need to pay for most forms and posters that you’re required to display in your workplace.

Once the headlines of the latest hurricane, tsunami, or terrorist act die down, so too does our focus on emergency preparedness. The aftermath of these kinds of events can leave individuals and companies scrambling to rebuild lives and businesses. Here’s what should be included in your disaster plan:

As workloads expand and the pressure to make decisions quickly increases, senior managers may find it difficult to conduct independent reviews of personnel decisions recommended or initiated by first-line managers. Although tempting, giving in to the urge to “rubber-stamp” such recommendations can be costly. Using what some courts refer to as the “cat’s paw” theory, a first-line supervisor’s biases can be attributed to the employer, even though the final decision maker had no idea the employee at issue was a member of a protected class.

The latest Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Performance and Accountability Report shows EEOC claims hit a record high in fiscal year 2008. A total of 95,402 private sector claims reflect an increase of 15.2% compared to the previous year. Employment law claims tend to increase in an economic downturn, as evidenced by this data.

A study published in the Stanford Law Review (The Changing Nature of Employment Discrimination Litigation by John Donohue and Peter Siegelman) gives a clear picture of discrimination claims during an economic downturn:

When the economy goes into a recession, there is a dramatic increase in the number of employment lawsuits filed in federal court. Lack of alternative employment serves as a catalyst for litigation.