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At Will—The Most Dangerous Myth in Management

You can fire anyone, anytime, for any reason or no reason. That’s heady stuff for any manager, but it’s dangerous to think that way. First of all, is it true? Can you fire anyone for any reason or no reason? In most states, absent a contract to the contrary, most employees are “at will.” So, […]

Supreme Court Rules Oral FLSA Complaints Are OK

Today, in a 6-2 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) antiretaliation provision protects not just written complaints but also oral ones. The Court noted in its opinion that it heard the case because of a conflict in the circuit courts over whether oral complaints were protected. In Kasten […]

Handbooks Help Is Here!

Yesterday, we discussed two of the big employee handbooks mistakes employers tend to make, according to attorney Elaina Smiley. Today, a look at the final mistake she sees too often, and an introduction to a valuable handbook drafting tool — specifically for California employers.

Quick Knockouts of Some Human Rights Complaints in Canada

by Hadiya J. Roderique Human rights claims are an increasingly common occurrence for Canadian employers. Employees or former employees can initiate these claims at little or no cost in most Canadian jurisdictions (the various provinces, territories, or the federal sphere). An employer must defend human rights claims to avoid an award of damages or other […]

Is Sloth the Worst HR Sin?

In yesterday’s Advisor, we covered the first 4 deadly sins of managers; Today, Envy, Greed, and Sloth, and some very good news: your job descriptions are already written and updated. [Go here for sins 1 to 4 and a bonus sin] Sin 5. Envy Envy makes managers do things that aren’t appropriate for the company. […]

Navigating the Barriers to Global Mobility

By Hector A. Chichoni Because of tremendous advances in technology and transportation, companies are able to locate resources and skills in different parts of the world and manage them as if they were in one place. Competition for resources and skills is brutal and requires speedy and fluid access to global markets. When U.S. employers […]

Hot List: New York Times Bestselling Paperback Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling paperback business books as ranked by the New York Times on March 21. 1. The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis. The people who saw the real estate crash coming and made billions from their foresight. 2. The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can […]

3 Big Employee Handbook Mistakes To Avoid

Many employers adopt a casual approach to their employee handbooks — which can quickly lead to lawsuits. A thought-out, well-crafted employee handbook is the best way to avoid this problem says attorney Elaina Smiley.

Transgendered Employees in the Workplace

By Susan G. Fentin According to a report published in February by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, transgendered workers are twice as likely to be unemployed and experience a high degree of harassment or other workplace mistreatment. The report, Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of […]

Employers Seeking Savings Can’t Afford Age Claims

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently heard testimony on the particular effects the economic downturn has had on older workers, addressing the unfortunate possibility that the recession may be serving as a catalyst for some employers to engage in age discrimination. Recession Hits Older Workers During a mid-November EEOC meeting, several experts reported on […]