Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
As the Principal Financial Group® was conducting its wellness survey (see yesterday’s Advisor), Cornell University was conducting a wellness survey of its own—and demonstrating the importance of assessing needs before implementing. The responses of the 1,400 people who completed Cornell’s survey gave its wellness program clear indicators of where to focus its efforts. It also […]
There’s been general agreement that wellness programs are effective at reducing employer healthcare costs, but survey results show that healthcare costs now matter to employees—something that’s been missing up to this point. The survey, the Principal Financial Well-Being Indexsm, covered more than 1,600 employees and retirees at growing businesses with 10-1,000 employees. Released in early […]
Yesterday’s Advisor covered the legal pitfalls of layoffs. Today Attorney Bennett Pine gives you his take on release agreements, and we introduce an extraordinary collection of checklists that helps you through the whole range of HR challenges. Consider requiring employees to sign releases in exchange for receiving severance pay, Pine recommends. Although such agreements must […]
It’s no secret that the next year is shaping up as a grim time for employees, with many layoffs on the horizon, says attorney Bennett Pine. And layoffs mean lawsuits and liability unless you carefully plan and execute. Your first step to avoid liability? Familiarize yourself now with the requirements of the Worker Adjustment and […]
No more lawsuits, faster results, lower judgments—what’s not to like about mandatory arbitration? Not much, but there are issues to consider and pitfalls to avoid, says attorney Sandra Rappaport. Typical employee arbitration agreements require that all work-related disputes between the employer and employee be resolved by impartial arbitrators rather than by jury trial, says Rappaport, […]
It’s easy (and common) for retailers to hire temporary seasonal workers to help handle the rush of holiday business. But however temporary their employment might be, they’re still employees with all the potential for employer liability that status entails. It’s important to bear that in mind. Audit your hiring policies and practices with the Employment […]
Given the questionable effectiveness of the “suspend without pay” approach, employers should consider Paid Decision-Making Leave (PDML). It’s more respectful—and more effective, says attorney Allison West. West, who is principal of Employment Practices Specialists LLC, an employment law training and consulting firm in Pacifica, California, recommends the PDML program first described by performance management consultant […]
What can employers do when a disciplinary suspension is seen as a gift? Today’s expert offers practical discipline techniques. Most companies have progressive disciplinary policies for the right reasons: to provide managers and HR with the tools they need to make fair, consistent, and legally defensible employment decisions, says attorney Allison West SPHR. But sometimes […]
Yesterday’s Advisor offered tips for controlling surfing on company time; today we’ve got a list of key issues to consider when you write your Internet policy. Here, from BLR’s popular SmartPolicies, are particular topics to consider for your policy on Internet usage: Security. Are all files downloaded from the Internet scanned for viruses? Are hard […]
It seems that no matter how many times you remind employees to stop personal use of the Internet, they keep on surfing. Today’s expert has solutions. Internet usage at work is tough one, says Laura E. Innes, a partner at the law firm of Simpson, Garrity & Innes in South San Francisco. But there are […]