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Imminent Canadian federal election unlikely to affect labor law

by Karen Sargeant Americans are not the only ones going to the polls for a federal election this year. Canadians are on their way, too. Despite a planned federal election for October 2009, the Prime Minister just called a federal election, to take place on October 14, 2008. So how would this election affect labor […]

Productivity Up, Lawsuits Down–More on Managing RIFs and Realignments

Yesterday’s Advisor  discussed planning for reductions in force (RIFs), selection of people, and communication with employees and managers. Today, more tips on RIFs, and an introduction to the “HR Red Book®,” BLR’s popular HR problem solver. First, more tips from Diana Gregory, senior human resources specialist at the Walnut Creek office of Administaff, a professional […]

HOT LIST: BusinessWeek’s Paperback Bestseller List

BusinessWeek ranks paperback business books that are the most recent bestsellers and provides a short summary. 1. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. Author Malcolm Gladwell says snap judgments deserve careful consideration. 2. The World Is Flat 3.0: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century. Author Thomas L. Friedman says globalization is great — […]

Ride the ‘Retaliatory Wave’ after RIFs, Right-Sizing, and ‘Structural Realignments’

Downsizing is dangerous for morale, for productivity–and for lawsuits. Today’s expert untangles this treacherous territory. Fear and insecurity experienced as a result of downsizing, layoffs, or any type of significant restructuring spawns a “retaliatory wave” of lawsuits, as well as affecting morale, which results in poor productivity, says Diana Gregory. So, employers need to identify […]

Can I Fire a Bankrupt Employee?

by Robert P. Tinnin, Jr. Q: I’m the owner of a business that sells big-ticket home furnishings. While reading the paper today, I discovered that my credit manager has filed for bankruptcy. Obviously, when the word gets around, it will really make me look like a fool! I want to fire him immediately, but a […]

Splitting Up Meal Breaks: A Bad Idea

Our subscribers often ask us if they can split up an employee’s meal break. For example, if an employee has a meeting or training session that interferes with the 30-minute lunch break, can you as an employer have the person take 15 minutes after five hours worked, and then take the other 15 minutes later […]

Effective Employment Reference Policies

Widespread among employers today is a “neutral reference” strategy in providing employment references for current or former employees. In fact, many attorneys have urged clients to adopt this policy to decrease exposure to liability. Of course, when you’re the one seeking a reference on a job applicant, this type of policy severely limits the information […]

Survey Says–Economic Slump Hits HR Departments

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady A warm “Thank you” to the 2,800 HRDA readers who responded to our recent survey concerning the effect of the economic slump on your organizations and your departments! Here’s a summary of the results. Smaller Businesses Hit Hardest While the slumping economy is hurting businesses of all sizes, […]

Polishing Your HR Policies

Labor Day has come and gone. Our summer vacations are over, and it’s almost time for things like the NFL (your company isn’t sponsoring a betting pool, is it?) and the fall TV season, including The Office. In advance of the new season, now might be a good time to review your HR policies and […]

Interview Etiquette–Shud U B Concerned? R U at Fault?

In yesterday’s Advisor, we shared results from a recent Vault survey on recruiter and applicant etiquette. Today, questions about actions after the interview, and a look at a training system to help your supervisors with interviewing and other critical skills. Here are some additional responses to Vault’s 2008 Interview Etiquette Survey: Question for recruiters: How […]