Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Colin Leonard and James Rooney A new law going into effect on January 1, 2014, will increase New York employers’ contributions to the state’s unemployment compensation program. Earlier this year, legislation was enacted in response to the insolvency of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund and the state’s need to repay $3.5 billion borrowed from […]
By Jim Stanley, president, FDRsafety When Labor Secretary Hilda Solis warned business last year that there was ”a new sheriff in town,” she wasn’t kidding — the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is packing big new six-guns. The only problem is that it may be shooting itself in the foot. OSHA has been announcing […]
A team is missing its production deadlines, and a different cultural interpretation of the word “deadline” is the cause. Two experts offer solutions for fixing the problem. The Problem: Don is production manager in a printing company that produces books for major publishers. Five years ago, the company added binding to its services, and Don […]
By Robert BowenJust My E-pinion Today’s guest columnist, an SPHR-certified former lieutenant colonel, shares how he’s learned to make good use of “command” and “compassionate” people strategies. Robert Bowen, SPHR, Lt. Col. (Ret.), is the HR career coach at HumanResourcesCoaching.com. As human resources professionals, we often find ourselves “switching hats” between two distinct day-to-day roles: […]
As the economy stagnates, many employers who were hoping to avoid layoffs must now finally consider them. Today’s expert, attorney Michael Rosen, sorts out the key issues. Rosen, a labor and employment partner with the law firm Foley Hoag LLP in Boston, says that any reduction in force (RIF) must be carefully planned and executed […]
Special from the Advanced Employment Issues Symposium, Las Vegas The unfortunate revelations of alleged sexual misconduct at Penn State and other schools will have one clear effect for HR, says attorney Mark Schickman: You’re going to see an uptick in harassment charges. Sexual harassment charges had been declining somewhat, but the recent publicity will reverse […]
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the U.S. Department of Labor recently published a proposal to revise the EEO-1 reporting form in order to annually collect summary pay data by gender, race, and ethnicity from businesses with 100 or more employees. A copy of the proposed form is available on the EEOC’s website.
A new court decision says the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) doesn’t require you to transfer an employee because of a bad working relationship with a supervisor. Sherrylen Weiler, a Household Finance Corp. manager, claimed she became disabled by depression, stress and anxiety following a performance review in which her supervisor raised his voice and […]
by Michael G. McCourt We now are fully involved in the crush of festivities and holiday shopping that traditionally mark the beginning of the sprint to New Year’s Eve. This is the season of peace on earth and good will toward our fellow man, right? Not always. A Challenging Season The holidays have the uncanny […]
The U.S. Supreme Court has handed down a new ruling that provides some guidance on when a single remark can amount to sexual harassment. The court also looked at when the timing of a punitive action against a complaining employee does and doesn’t support a retaliation claim. As we’ll explain, the decision suggests that your […]