Author: HR Hero Line

Insights from a CEO: HR can become a strategic partner

HR professionals know they have a lot to offer and deserve “a seat at the table” in the C-suite, but showing top management that their expertise is vital to an organization’s strategic efforts often is a tough sell. Tough, but not impossible. Dan Oswald, CEO of human resources information provider BLR, shared some advice for […]

Managing the workplace during the holidays

by Joseph Godwin Company holiday celebrations have a well-deserved reputation for resulting in employer headaches. Alcohol consumption at parties, gag gift exchanges, questionable wardrobe choices, Dirty Dancing moves, excluding spouses or domestic partners, and a host of other factors have made the office party the “most wonderful time of the year” for employees’ lawyers. You […]

Right to work and how it will work in Michigan

by Gary Fealk On December 11, Michigan passed Senate Bill 116, commonly known as the right-to-work law. In accordance with the Michigan Constitution (Article IV, Section 27), the law will go into effect 90 days after the end of the legislative session. Under the law, an individual cannot be required to do any of the […]

New York law protecting SSNs takes effect

by Katherine Ritts Schafer An amendment to New York state’s Social Security Number Protection Law goes into effect today, and employers need to understand its implications. Although there are a number of exceptions, employers generally are prohibited from requiring an individual to disclose or furnish his Social Security number (SSN) “for any purpose in connection […]

The long arm of the EEOC: Agency’s subpoena power is a force to be reckoned with

by Burton J. Fishman In 2007, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) filed suit against Kroger, the grocery chain, because it rejected an applicant for a “cashier, bagger, stocker” position in part because of a poor score on an orally administered “personality trait” test prepared by Kronos, Inc. The applicant had speech and hearing difficulties […]

‘Merry Christmas!’ I mean ‘Happy holidays!’ Oh, just have a nice day

by C. Edward Watson Q: Every year, the holiday season seems to get more stressful. On the one hand, I have a couple of employees who want to make everything about Christ. They insist on wishing everyone, including our customers, a merry Christmas rather than happy holidays or not saying anything. They claim that saying […]

Michigan now a right-to-work state

Long a union stronghold, Michigan has become the latest state to pass right-to-work legislation. The fight, though, likely will rage on. State legislators on December 11 approved legislation that prohibits workplaces from requiring all employees to pay all union dues. The legislation was pushed by the Republican majority in the state legislature. On Tuesday afternoon, […]

Where customer service is job 2

by Dan Oswald You know good customer service when you see it. That’s a statement in which I firmly believe. But it also means you know horrendous customer service when you see it. Do I have a story for you! Recently, my wife and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. My gift to her was […]

Minimum wage going up in 10 states

The 2013 minimum hourly wage is set to go up in 10 states. Arizona. The rate goes from $7.65 to $7.80. The state’s minimum wage is adjusted annually based on a cost-of-living formula. Colorado. The rate is going from $7.64 an hour to $7.78 based on an annual cost-of-living adjustment. Florida. The rate goes from […]

Layoff as constructive dismissal: a cautionary tale for employers

By Ralph N. Nero and Keri L. Bennett When is a layoff not a layoff? When it is a constructive dismissal, according to an Ontario judge. McLean v. The Rawyal Limited Partnership reaffirms the principle that unless incorporated as an express or implied term of the employment contract, a layoff may be treated as constructive […]