Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
We are having a lot of trouble with employees—both exempt and nonexempt-who come to work late. Our attempts to deal with this haven’t been too successful. In some jobs like the assembly line, punctuality is critical-we can’t run the line without all the people there. In other cases, it doesn’t matter so much as far […]
A recent verdict provides a good reminder ofwhy it’s important to listen to and follow up on employee complaints. A juryawarded maintenance technician Bob Haist $500,000 on his clam that his managerat Chula Vista–based Goodrich Aerostructures slandered him by accusing him infront of his co-workers of stealing from the company. Haist’s co-workers alsoallegedly watched managers […]
Generally, employers have 90 days from the date of an employee’s workers’ comp claim to investigate and then accept or deny the claim. And it’s critical not to miss the deadline because if you do, there will be a presumption that the injury is covered by workers’ comp. But suppose a worker who hasn’t filed […]
Employers tend to give a lot of leeway to high-level or valuable employees. But if a rogue boss’s behavior goes unchecked—and forces other employees to quit—you may have a lawsuit on your hands. In one recent case, the employer’s failure to rein in a renegade manager turned into a $600,000 mistake.
Equal pay for equal work is a hot issue. And disputes over whether a female employee is entitled to receive the same compensation as a male co-worker typically focus on whether they perform substantially similar work. Now a new case involving a human resources administrator provides a practical look at some factors courts weigh when […]
A jury in Los Angeles awarded $5.16 million to a former financial manager for Nestle who claimed the company denied him promotions that went to junior employees. The manager was in his mid-40s. He complained to the human resources department and a senior executive but never got a satisfactory response about whether his age was […]
A recent survey of employers by the human resources consulting firm Hewitt Associates indicates that employees are increasingly interested in non-traditional and flexible benefits that they can pick and choose to suit their particular needs, including retirement and work/family concerns. And employers, to stay competitive in attracting the best talent, are planning to make more […]
The possibility of facing a sexual harassment claim can make any employer nervous. And investigating a workplace harassment charge is frequently uncomfortable for all parties involved. To make matters worse, the line between illegal harassment and offensive but harmless office banter can be fuzzy at best.
An employee comes to you and complains of discrimination and harassment. You’re worried the charges may blow up into something big so you want to keep the matter confidential. Your first instinct may be to call in your lawyer to get to the bottom of things, but that isn’t always the wisest course. An employer […]
When employees are fired or quit under difficult circumstances, they may try to take confidential papers you didn’t intend them to have or see. And if they later sue you for wrongful termination or other employment-related matters, the ex-employees may try to use the records against you. But a new court ruling, along with some […]