Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) has published a final rule clarifying the penalty that may be imposed on a plan administrator for failing to provide a written notice to participants and beneficiaries of their rights to diversify the portions of plan accounts that are invested in the employer’s publicly traded […]
A new measure introduced in the U.S. Senate would remove existing caps on compensatory and punitive damages an individual can recover in an employment discrimination lawsuit. The new legislation, titled the Equal Remedies Act of 2007 and authored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., is aimed at eliminating damages caps that were implemented a decade and […]
To train effectively, first create a conducive environment, then follow these 5 steps: Yesterday’s Daily Advisor discussed preparation for training … how to quell the discomfort many feel about facing new challenges and how to set up an effective training environment, followed by opportunities to put the new knowledge quickly to work. Now let’s cover […]
Training can be easier and more effective if you prepare properly … both yourself and the trainees. Here are tips for doing it. Ask any group of HR managers what they least like about the job, and it’s even money that the answer will be training. A lot of that probably comes from the fact […]
Labor and employment law attorneys get a lot of questions from employers about personnel files. The most frequently asked question is, “What should I include, and who gets to see them?” Read on as we attempt to sort out some of those questions. HR Guide to Employment Law: A practical compliance reference manual covering 14 […]
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits race discrimination. But is a minority employee the victim of discrimination or retaliation if a supervisor treats all direct reports “very badly” and “like a child”? What if the supervisor also steps up documentation on the employee after she complained that the supervisor is “racist”? […]
Litigation Value: $75,000 (I’m sticking with my earlier assessment) A number of people have asked me whether Jan could really be fired for dating Michael. My answer? Probably. Well, at least in most states. Employers can, and often do, implement policies prohibiting their employees from engaging in romantic relationships with co-workers and, certainly, with subordinates. […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Yes, Virginia (well, Massachusetts in this case), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says that the red kettle brigade is guilty of violating Title VII. The Issue: Speaking English-Only. Few organizations have the moral stature of the Salvation Army, yet the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently sued […]
There’s nothing casual about drafting a dress code policy. An August 22 BLR audio conference will tell you how to create one that’s both legal and workable. More than a decade ago, business began to implement the dress code policy of “Casual Friday.” Employers back then felt that loosening the rigid standards of past years […]
With up to half of younger employees now sporting tattoos, piercings, and other “body art,” how far should employers’ dress codes go to accommodate this? Do you tattoo? That’s a question employers have to ask themselves these days. The reason: There’s a good chance that, if you haven’t already, you’ll soon be dealing with employees […]