Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Maggie LeBato and H. Mark Adams Both federal and state laws prohibit employers from discriminating against employees because of their religion. The courts have further ruled that the prohibition against religious discrimination requires you to accommodate your employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs unless it would cause undue hardship to your business. You might assume, […]
More and more of our employees are traveling outside the U.S. and are going to remoter places. What suggestions can you offer in the areas of health and security? — Marcia D., HR Manager in Los Angeles Many companies are regularly sending workers out of the country, which brings up a new set of […]
Hiring even one new employee invokes no fewer than seven federal laws and probably a few state laws as well, says attorney Stephen R. Woods. How does an employer navigate this legal minefield? Woods offers five easy rules. Woods, a shareholder with the national law firm of Ogletree Deakins, made his suggestions at the recent […]
Most employers are all too aware of the danger of discrimination lawsuits, but there are many other legal threats in the HR arena. In today’s Advisor, attorney Allison West SPHR briefs employers on defamation, negligence, and fraud lawsuits . West, principal of Employment Practices Specialists in Pacifica, CA, offered her tips at SHRM’s Employment Law […]
HR executives and many senior leaders recognize that working significant overtime hours regularly can cause employee stress and burnout, negatively impact an employee’s personal life, and frankly, is just plain unhealthy. An internet site now addresses the problems: www.workaholics-anonymous.org. According to a statement on their site, “Workaholics Anonymous is a fellowship of individuals who share […]
by Jo Ellen Whitney In a world with a 24-hour news cycle, multiple TV channels specifically designated to the news, Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and a constant news machine that needs to be fed, the adage “If it bleeds, it leads” has more power than ever before. In late 2014, we saw a good example of […]
On April 22, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offered employers new guidance and best practices on avoiding discrimination against workers with caregiving responsibilities. The best practices document is available online at www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/caregiver-best-practices.html and illustrates proactive measures employers can take that go beyond federal non-discrimination requirements. It supplements a 2007 EEOC guidance document on unlawful […]
In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Eric Meyer covered legal challenges related to social media background checks. Today, his take on managing such checks, plus an introduction to a unique 10-minutes-at-a-time training program for supervisors and managers. In an interview, you have at least some control, but when you go online, you have no control over what […]
This article series will cover managing medical certifications under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In the last section we covered the basics of medical certification, here we’ll go over the steps involved in requesting certification.
Thank goodness for small favors! With The Office on summer break, we didn’t have to face Thursday night with trepidation, fearing that Michael would, in his affable way, fling impertinent comments about the Iranian election crisis around for all to hear. We are probably not the only ones breathing a sigh of relief either. After […]