Archives

Boldest Applicant is the Best Applicant . . . Sometimes

I find it hard to believe that my fellow bloggers have overlooked the most obvious choice for Michael Scott’s replacement: Fred Henry, played by Will Arnett. After all, who else during their interview promised to deliver a plan that would double the branch’s profits? Undoubtedly, Mr. Henry’s strategy was the boldest and most innovative of […]

Family Responsibilities Leave—Best Practice for Employee Engagement?

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Just My E-pinion For years, BLR has surveyed HR and benefits professionals to find trends in benefits. We appreciate your participation in our monthly series of brief, targeted benefits surveys. Today’s Survey Topic: Family Leave Practices. (We’ll publish the results in a future issue.) Family responsibility leave. It’s […]

DOL Issues Final Rule Extending Fee Disclosure Timetable

It’s now official: The effective dates regarding fiduciary and participant fee disclosure regulations for retirement plans have been extended. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has issued a final rule (which becomes effective July 15) providing that: Fiduciary-level Fee Disclosure Regulation: The effective date for the interim final rule is extended from July 16, 2011, […]

Verizon ADA Settlement: More on leaves of absence as reasonable accommodation

Now that the dust is settling over the nationwide class-action disability discrimination lawsuit Verizon settled with the EEOC, we at the SmartHRManager blog wanted to ask HR professionals what this settlement means to their companies. To help you answer that question, take a look at the consent decree’s corporate improvement plan, which highlights what Verizon […]

Employees Hate Each Other? Readers Disagree with Our Suggestion

In his e-pinion on this page a few weeks ago, Dan Oswald suggested that when two employees hate each other, the best course may be keeping the most valuable employee and firing the other one. Most readers didn’t agree. Oswald’s original story is found here in The Oswald Letter. The full text of all the […]

Plaintiff’s Lawyer Reveals: Mistakes that Make My Day

In yesterday’s Advisor, plaintiff’s attorney Whitney Warner gave us tips from “the enemy,” that is, a successful plaintiffs’ attorney. Today, more of her tips, plus an introduction to a 24/7 leadership training program that won’t break the bank. Warner, who is SPHR certified, is the founding partner of Moody and Warner PC in Albuquerque, New […]

Negotiations

4 Keys to Successful Negotiating in Work, Life

To live life is to negotiate. If you’re married, you negotiate daily with your spouse. It might be over what to have for dinner or where to go on vacation. If you have children, you certainly negotiate with them. I’m constantly bargaining over curfews, gas money, and the definition of a clean room. (Are hospital corners […]

3 Paths To Better Training

Training is often perceived as a soft science. But to train better and to get more funding for training, consider doing it “by the numbers.” These days, business is increasingly ruled by numbers. But there are some things that can’t be quantified, right? Like how the human mind can be affected by training. Not so, […]

#1 Thing that Makes You a Lawsuit Magnet

The number one thing that makes a lawsuit attractive to a plaintiff’s lawyer? When no reason is given for a termination. In today’s Advisor, advice from the other side of the courtroom—plaintiff’s attorney Whitney Warner spills about the management mistakes she looks for in planning legal actions against companies like yours. Warner, who is SPHR […]