Author: Resources for Humans

Hot List: Wall Street Journal’s Bestselling Hardcover Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling hardcover business books as ranked by the Wall Street Journal with data from Nielsen BookScan. 1. StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths by Tom Rath. Are you unsure where your true talents lie? Do you feel […]

Managers Must Manage

The other day, a colleague told me about one of his first tests as a new executive. He had recently been promoted when one of his direct reports — who had been a peer — recommended to him that an employee be put on a performance plan. When the newly promoted executive explored the situation […]

Can Canadian Employers Fire Employees for Complaints about Management?

By Ian Campbell There seems to have been an increase in cases where employees in Canada directly or publicly have challenged their supervisors or senior management. Maybe this is because of an increasing belief in their actual or perceived rights. Of course employees have the right and should be encouraged to raise legitimate workplace concerns […]

House Panel Assails NLRB’s Recent ‘Union Favoritism’

Controversy surrounding actions coming out of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) intensified on September 22 when a congressional committee examined what the panel’s chairman called the agency’s “assault on American workers and job creators.” The House Education and the Workforce Committee, chaired by Representative John Kline, a Minnesota Republican, titled the hearing “Culture of […]

Andy for the Win!

Litigation Value: More fodder for everybody’s negligent retention suit as Dwight shows more predilections toward violence in the workplace, but otherwise, not much litigation expected from this episode – just a host of employee morale issues. I’m sure Robert California will be harassing someone before long, though. Well, friends, the wait is finally over – […]

IRS Offering Employers Break on Misclassification

Employers worried that they may have misclassified independent contractors may find relief in a new program from the IRS. The Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP) was announced September 21 and offers employers the opportunity to get into compliance by making a minimal payment covering past payroll tax obligations rather than waiting for an IRS audit. […]

New Maryland Law Restricts Use of Credit Checks

By David M. Stevens During its 2011 legislative session, the Maryland Legislature passed the Job Applicant Fairness Act, which was signed into law by Governor Martin O’Malley on April 12. The law imposes significant restrictions on employers’ ability to perform credit checks on job applicants and employees. It goes into effect October 1. For many […]

Maine Tightens Up Law on Service Animals

Until recently, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations were quite broad in their definition of “service animal,” but that changed earlier this year. Now Maine, which had kept the definition loose in state law, also is tightening up on what constitutes a service animal. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations not only for employees with disabilities […]

4 Leadership Traits to Avoid

The other day a colleague passed along an article on leadership written by Michael Hyatt. The piece was titled, “The Five Characteristics of Weak Leaders” and focused on the leadership of General George B. McClellan, the first general-in-chief of the Union Army. It detailed the weaknesses McClellan exhibited as a leader and how they ultimately […]

Amazon’s 2011 Best Business and Investing Books of the Year So Far

Amazon keeps a continual tab of what it deems the best books of the year so far in several categories. Here are the online giant’s best business and investing books so far in 2011. 1. Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul by Howard Schultz. The president and chairman of Starbucks […]