Author: Michigan Employment Law Letter

leadership

ADA interactive process: When does your obligation to engage begin?

by Susan Hartmus Hiser Q We have an employee whose work performance has been slipping lately. We have reason to believe that she is suffering from depression because she was diagnosed as bipolar and had a bout of depression a few years ago that led to a similar decline in her work performance. We allowed […]

U.S. Supreme Court to consider transgender restroom lawsuit

by Ryan B. Frazier During the 1990s, Saturday Night Live, a popular TV sketch comedy show, featured a recurring gender-ambiguous character, Pat. The gag in Pat’s comedy sketches often involved others’ failed attempts to determine the seemingly androgynous character’s gender. The skits played off the then-prevailing view that a person’s gender falls into one of […]

HR’s balancing act: tips for mixing agile and traditional workers

Feeling agile? Crystal ball gazers are predicting more employers soon will answer that question with a robust “yes.” According to a new study from staffing firm Randstad US, both employers and employees see the world of work turning to “agile” work—scenarios in which traditional full-time permanent workers increasingly share duties with contractors, consultants, temporary, and […]

Want to Appear Smart at Meetings? Don’t Ask These Questions

Yesterday we discussed questions you should ask during key situations in a business meeting. As we established, asking questions usually makes you a more engaged and appreciated participant. But not all questions are alike. Here are a few questions you need to reconsider before asking:

Hack attacks!

Lately, the news has led with stories about the alleged Russian hacking of various American political organizations, ostensibly for the purpose of influencing the 2016 elections. U.S. law enforcement has surmised that the Russian government orchestrated a number of incursions into networks controlled by the major political parties and that they used or disclosed certain […]

The Art of Asking Questions at Meetings

Ready for another meeting? Instead of dreading the prospect, consider each meeting an opportunity to find new solutions and help your organization. You can do this by staying engaged and asking all the right questions.

culture

The line between friendly and friends

by Connor Beatty “I guess the atmosphere that I’ve tried to create here is that I’m a friend first and a boss second and probably an entertainer third,” muses Michael Scott, the main character of the hit comedy and mockumentary The Office. Scott is known for his well-meaning but often ill-advised attempts to connect with […]

empathy

Long-term success requires looking beyond just the results

by Dan Oswald There’s an old story that goes like this: A man walks into a bar and asks the bartender for a glass of water. Instead, the bartender pulls out a shotgun and fires a shot, just missing the man. Satisfied, the man places a nice tip on the bar, turns, and walks out. […]

Duty to disclose medical condition in pre-employment questionnaire

by Simon Laberge This article discusses questioning employees about essential functions when hiring in Canada. Trust is a fundamental element in the relationship between an employer and an employee. That relationship of trust can be breached in various ways during the course of employment including during the hiring process when an employer questions candidates to […]

Getting past ‘mansplaining’ and getting to respectful communication

No one argues the importance of communication in the workplace, especially communication that results in colleagues learning from each other. Sometimes, though, the communication is more condescending than educational. If one party is trying to impart wisdom but the other party is more knowledgeable on the topic, resentment—not learning—is likely to result.  An exact definition […]