Archives

ADA Amendments: Supremes Get a Reprimand

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady BLR CEO Bob Brady says the new ADA amendments are likely to create some HR headaches, at least in the short term, but that the legislation shows that our system of government works as intended. Overruling the U.S. Supreme Court Congress has issued the U.S. Supreme Court an […]

New York’s Disposal of Personal Records Law Amended

On September 5, 2008, New York Governor David A. Paterson signed into law Bill No. A10625, which amends New York’s General Business Law. Effective immediately, the amendment clarifies who must abide by New York’s Disposal of Personal Records Law, which relates to the disposal of records containing personal identifying information. Personal identifying information consists of […]

Interview Checklist–The 25 Forbidden Questions

In yesterday’s Advisor, legal landmines for interviewers. Today, a handy checklist for interviewers from BLR’s HR Audit Checklists. Check each forbidden question to indicate your awareness that it cannot be asked in employment interviews. Forbidden Questions–Age “How old are you?” “What is your date of birth?” (You may ask, “Do you meet the state minimum […]

Coping with Difficult People

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book Coping with Difficult People: The Proven-Effective Battle Plan that Has Helped Millions Deal with the Troublemakers in Their Lives at Home and Work. Review focuses on book’s profiles of employees who cause supervisors, managers, and coworkers stress and tips for how to deal with those employees. Coping […]

Job Descriptions: 3 Common Mistakes–and a Tool for Avoiding Them

If anyone questions your layoff selections—and they will—employees’ attorneys are going to scrutinize the job descriptions on which you based your determinations. What will they find? A full set of up-to-date, accurate, and complete job descriptions, right? Well, maybe not a full set—and maybe not all accurate and complete and up to date, either. Here […]

9 Legal Landmines for Untrained (and maybe Trained) Interviewers

Even seasoned interviewers can inadvertently ask questions that lead to legal problems. That’s why the first rule in interviewing is "Innocent questions can lead to trouble." "An interview is essentially a pretty casual conversation, particularly if it goes well," says Amy Berecek. And in a conversation, it’s just human nature to ask people if they’re […]

Is wrongful dismissal litigation reform coming to Canada?

by Karen Sargeant Can fired employees afford to take their prior employers to court? Are trials too expensive? Are there better ways to secure justice for employees? These are some of the questions a group of lawyers in Ontario, Canada, have been considering. Earlier this year, the Chief Justice of Ontario expressed concerns that employees […]

What’s Your HR Credibility Rating?

In yesterday’s Advisor, we shared some how-to-lose-your-HR-credibility pitfalls. How many applied to you? Today, more tips and an introduction to a unique online training program. Building “HR Cred” is a top task for HR managers, although it never appears on any job description. It’s tough to build credibility, but easy to lose it. Here is […]

BusinessWeek’s Bestseller List

BusinessWeek ranks business books that are the most recent bestsellers and provides a short summary. 1. StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths by Tom Rath. Are you unsure where your true talents lie? Do you feel that you are both a person who gets […]

‘HR Cred’–How to Build It and How to Lose It

Credibility–it’s hard to establish and it’s easy to lose. Yet, it’s critical for HR success. Today, one expert’s take on how to lose it. The respected HR Competency Study, conducted by the University of Michigan Business School and its partners, has identified six core competency domains for HR managers:At the basic “relationships” level:          Credible Activist […]