Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Q: I own and operate a business in which physically demanding work is part of the employees’ daily activities. I recently hired several employees who I thought were qualified for the job. However, I quickly learned that they weren’t in good enough health to do what was required of them. This is causing a lot […]
by Timothy D. Edwards On January 1, 2011, new rules for the discovery (pretrial exchange of evidence) of electronically stored information went into effect in Wisconsin. One of the most significant changes is a “meet-and-confer” provision requiring the parties to address issues pertaining to electronically stored information early in the litigation. Back in April 2010, […]
On Wednesday, January 5, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hosted a live Q&A Web chat to answer questions about its Fall 2010 Regulatory Agenda. The assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, Dr. David Michaels, started the session by listing some of OSHA’s 2010 achievements. He noted that the agency: published final rules/interim final […]
You’re not required to accommodate employees if doing so would create an “undue hardship.” But what does that mean, exactly?
Week in Review—January 7, 2011 Note to Readers: This newsletter appears daily, but we know some of you don’t always have the time to read it everyday. For your convenience, here’s a re-publication of what we covered this past week. Daily, weekly, or anything in between, we’re pleased to keep you informed with the latest […]
In yesterday’s Advisor, Attorney Julie A. Moore helped managers through the thorny task of harassment investigations. Today, her do’s and don’ts for investigators, plus an introduction to BLR®‘s 10-minutes-at-a-time training system for managers and supervisors. p>Moore, who is president and founder of Employment Practices Group in North Andover, Massachusetts, offered her suggestions at BLR®‘s National […]
Tuesday, January 4, the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) hosted a live Q&A Web chat to discuss its regulatory priorities for the next several months and to answer questions. Phyllis Borzi, assistant secretary for EBSA, started the session by stating that the focus of the chat would be on EBSA’s pension initiatives that appear in […]
As of Saturday, January 1, 2011, private employers with 15 or more employees in California are required to provide paid leaves of absence for organ and bone marrow donations. The law, Public Chapter 646, is similar to a leave provision already in place for public employees and ensures up to 30 days of paid leave […]
EEOC statistics suggest that there is a growing wave of discrimination complaints brought by Muslim workers. Read on to find out what the law requires of you, and how to avoid getting hit with a costly lawsuit.
When harassment accusations arise in the workplace, what you say or—sometimes even more importantly—what you don’t say can make the difference between problem resolution and a lawsuit, says attorney Julie A. Moore. Oftentimes, the initial reaction of the manager is to ignore the situation, hoping it will improve on its own. That’s not going to […]