Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Joseph C. Pettygrove Employers are increasingly looking at the feasibility of scanning hard copies of various types of employment documents and retaining only the electronic copies in the routine course of business. Generally speaking, you are allowed to do that if you ensure that your electronic record maintenance systems are secure, accurate, reliable, and […]
In yesterday’s Advisor, we featured examples of state and federal family and medical leave (FML) interactions. Today, we’ll look at some critical considerations plus take a look at the “FMLA Bible.” Here are today’s major considerations regarding interplay between state and federal FML law: Intermittent Leave Many of the state FML laws do not provide […]
If your state has its own family and medical leave (FML) law, in some circumstances employees may be able to take both leaves, one after the other, and there’s nothing you can do about it. To deal with federal/state family leave issues, the first step is to determine which laws apply to you as a […]
Penalties for noncompliance with California wage and hour laws can add up surprisingly fast, says attorney Christopher C. Hoffman. And it’s surprisingly easy to run afoul of California‘s many tricky requirements. (See yesterday’s CED to read Hoffman’s tips on rest periods and meal breaks in California.)
by Katherine Pollock Recently, we learned of a scandal out of the United States that cost a top CEO his job. On August 6, Mark Hurd, the chair, CEO, and president of Hewlett Packard for the past five years, “resigned” under intense pressure from the board. While it was an allegation of sexual harassment that […]
In yesterday’s Advisor, we covered the alcohol-related challenges of company social events; today we’ll examine harassment and injury issues and take a look at a unique program that “writes” your policy for social activities and dozens of other critical HR policies. Sexual Harassment at Social Functions Courts in many states have found that unwanted sexual […]
Amazon.com updates its list of the bestselling books every hour. Here is a snapshot of what is hot right now, this Monday morning, July 26, in the “Work Life Balance” subsection of the “Business Life” section in the “Business and Investing” category. 1. The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key […]
There’s nothing like a picnic or a party to boost morale, build teamwork, and reward employees for a job well done. But as with many things HR, there’s a downside: Failure to clarify and enforce policies can lead to unexpected claims, such as claims for workers’ compensation or sexual harassment, or liability. Serving Alcohol The […]
Latino employees at an Arizona community college were understandably offended when a professor broadly distributed e-mail messages exalting the “superiority of Western Civilization” and deriding the contributions of nonwhite immigrants and Native Americans. But did the professor’s messages create a racially hostile work environment? The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Alaska, Arizona, […]