Author: Chris Ceplenski

Finding, Hiring Top Tech Talent Leading Concern for Management Says Survey

From President Obama’s State of the Union address to the Consumer Electronics Show, cybersecurity and emerging technology continue to be headline news. However, behind the scenes, the tech sector is persistently challenged by the need to hire and retain the best talent. According to the just-released Harris Allied 2014 Tech Hiring and Retention Survey conducted […]

2014 Employer Holiday Practices Survey (Slide Show)

BLR has released the results of the new 2014 Holiday Practices Survey, which examines employer practices for providing paid holidays and paying nonexempt employees during the 2014 holiday season and provides information on planned paid holidays for 2015. The slide show below highlights survey findings and links to an article by BLR Legal Editor Susan […]

Employee leave infographic: HR polices, practices and challenges

BLR’s 2014 Employee Leave Survey examines employer policies and practices for various types of leave including vacation, sick leave, paid time off (PTO), Family and Medical Act (FMLA) leave, personal leave, bereavement leave, and more. The Employee Leave survey, conducted among 3,158 respondents, also identifies the top HR-related challenges when administering and handling employee leave—and provides resources for […]

Slideshow: Mental illness in the workplace

About one in four American adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year. Employers need to be aware of their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and comparable state laws regarding their employees’ mental health.

Infographic: 2014 Workplace Policies & HR Policy Practices

Nearly 90% of the 2,662 HR professionals that took our 2014 Policy Practices survey reported that their organization had formalized employee workplace policies. How are policies distributed to employees? Do they include “at will” disclaimers? Are employees required to confirm receipt? How effectively are policies enforced? How often are they updated? How has recent “ban […]

Infographic: 2014 employee performance appraisal practices

In a new 2014 BLR Performance Management survey, 76% of 1,481 survey participants rate their employer’s performance appraisals with a grade of “C” or lower. Nearly half of survey participants said that their organization ties employee evaluations to most salary increases. The most common reason cited for not linking the two together was to focus […]

Infographic: 2014 Training Trends & HR’s Role in the Training Process

In a new BLR Training and Development survey, over 1,050 organizations provided insights regarding their employee training practices and methods. They also provided details about the responsibility of human resources (HR) in the training process. The infographic below examines the topics organizations train their employees and managers on most frequently, the most popular means of […]

Contingent Workforce 101

Employers are facing tough decisions when it comes to full-time, part-time, and contingent employees and their bottom line. Some organizations are considering the possibility of employing a contingent workforce, comprised of temporary workers or contractors, to perform necessary functions. After all, payroll taxes, benefit costs, and other employee-centric issues may be diminished by relying on […]

New DSM-5 Definitions: Some May Affect the Workplace

Recently, the American Psychiatric Association published its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). DSM-5 includes several diagnostic categories not present in past editions. In practice, this may mean that more employees may now qualify for protection under the ADA than ever before, and that means you must be at the ready […]

Employer FCRA Requirements

Do you conduct background checks on job applicants before officially hiring them? If you do, are you in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)? When getting started with background screening, some employers don't realize they are required to comply with the FCRA as part of this process.