Author: Tammy Binford

When cheaters strike: How HR can make a difference

Everyone knows the clichés “cheaters never prosper” and “honesty is the best policy,” but that doesn’t mean employees always take those maxims to heart. Whether it’s padding an expense account, failing to clock out for lunch, or large-scale embezzling, some employees will cross the line into unethical territory. Take, for example, the case of the […]

OSHA injury, illness summary to be posted by February 1

February 1 marks the deadline for covered employers to post a new summary of work-related injuries and illnesses. The summary—the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Form 300A—is required to be posted in the workplace every year from February 1 to April 30. The summary form must be completed and posted even if no […]

Who is it really all about?

by Dan Oswald What’s your favorite subject? For many people it’s me. I don’t mean me; I mean them. To them, me is them. Got it? What I’m trying to say is that often a person’s favorite subject is himself. People want to talk about themselves. People like to think about themselves. People are concerned […]

immigration

What bipartisan group’s immigration reform proposal means for employers

by Tammy Binford A bipartisan effort to reform U.S. immigration policy includes what the proposal’s authors say is a plan to “create an effective employment verification system” as well as a way to “establish an improved process for admitting future workers to serve our nation’s workforce needs, while simultaneously protecting all workers.” Eight U.S. senators—Republicans […]

Court ruling puts NLRB future in jeopardy

A court ruling has put the brakes on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and possibly invalidated decisions the Board has made for the last year. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled on January 25 that President Barack Obama acted unconstitutionally when he made three […]

Fire in the hole

Litigation Value: Fire in the Hole prank = potential assault and battery charges for Dwight (not to mention the dry cleaning bill); Toby’s awkwardly affectionate overtures to Nellie = fodder for a potential hostile work environment claim against the Human Resources Manager; and using the Dunder Code to hunt for the fake holy grail = priceless.  […]

Getting the interview right: Try out some new questions

by Tammy Binford It’s a rare HR professional who hasn’t struggled with the question, “How can I make certain I’m getting the most useful information during job interviews?” Asking insightful questions goes a long way toward addressing the problem, but figuring out just what to ask can be tricky. Will a particular question elicit a […]

Employer social media policies and employee off-duty conduct

Employees’ postings on social media have been  called “online water-cooler talk,” essentially comparing it to office gossip. But most HR professionals have had to learn one big difference the hard way. Water-cooler talk doesn’t leave a permanent record, and social media does.  One way the two do compare is the common topic of supervisors. Unfortunately, […]

New FCRA forms for background checks

by Kara E. Shea Do you use a third-party service to conduct background checks on job applicants or employees? If so, then you should take note of the new forms you are required to use for that purpose, effective January 1. The “new” forms originally were issued last year but had to be revised because […]