Archives

A Really Hostile Environment

Litigation value: $ 30,000 There is no question that Jim Halpert, acting manager at Dunder Mifflin Scranton while Michael Scott was away, did a terrible job of diffusing and/or preventing a fight on company property on “The Duel” episode of The Office. Fortunately, the fight between Dwight Schrute and Andy Bernard didn’t lead to any serious […]

Forbidden Questions: The Flip Side—Readers’ Recommendations

Just My E-pinion We recently asked readers to send in the best—and worst—interview questions they have encountered (or used). In a recent column we shared the “horror questions.” (Go here to see them.) Today we turn the tables and showcase readers’ favorite interview questions. “Tell me about a recent professional (or academic) accomplishment that you […]

Obama’s First Move–Signing Equal Pay Bills?

New hurdles in defending against pay-bias lawsuits may be coming soon to a workplace near you. The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed two pay discrimination bills—the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act (H.R. 11) and the Paycheck Fairness Act (H.R. 12). Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) is expected to introduce companion legislation in the […]

Did They Actually Clarify Intermittent Leave? (Yes, a Little)

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Frank Alvarez covered several key points on compliance with new FMLA regs. Today, more of Alvarez’s tips, and an introduction to the first available updated FLMA compliance guide. Intermittent leave has always been a bugaboo for HR managers, and the new regulations do offer some clarifications. Here are Alvarez’s thoughts on […]

The High Cost of Low Morale . . . and What to Do About It

Author and talent management expert Carol A. Hacker writes about her book “The High Cost of Low Morale . . . and What to Do About It.” She offers tips from her book for reducing employee turnover. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the average cost of one turnover is 30 percent of the […]

Ready for F-Day? (January 16 Is FMLA Day)

Scurrying to get ready for F-Day? All the new FMLA changes are effective January 16. We’ve gathered some compliance tips from a nationally recognized expert, attorney Frank Alvarez. Alvarez is national coordinator of law firm Jackson Lewis’s Disability, Leave & Health Management Practice Group. Here are his thoughts on some changes employers have hoped for. […]

Two Rules for Smart Hiring

Hiring even one new employee invokes no fewer than seven federal laws and several state laws as well, says attorney Stephen R. Woods. How does an employer navigate this legal minefield? Woods, a shareholder with the national law firm of Ogletree Deakins, offered two tips at a recent BLR Employment Law Update conference in Las […]

A ‘Routine’ Background Check in Canada? There’s No Such Thing

by Derek Knoechel In 1990, a 21-year-old woman was caught shoplifting. She then pleaded guilty to a charge of theft, receiving a conditional discharge. Some five years later, she applied for a position with the Montreal police force. So began a 13-year legal odyssey culminating in a Supreme Court of Canada decision (Montréal (City) v. […]

Pie-in-the-Sky Recruiting? Get Real!

“I want someone from the top of the class at a top business school, who has advanced rapidly at a fast-growing, respected firm (but I want to pay an entry-level salary).” That’s pie-in-the-sky recruiting—spinning your wheels with no results. In yesterday’s Advisor, we covered the first five prehire necessities. Today, we look at five more, […]