Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Is it now negligence if you don’t do background checks on MySpaceTM and Facebook? “We’re not there yet for every job,” says attorney Joseph Beachboard, “but it’s getting there for sensitive jobs like installers and home care providers.” Beachboard’s comments came at the recent Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Annual Convention and Exposition in […]
Want the best of the best to flood your department with their résumés as they do at Yahoo! and Southwest Airlines? Develop your talent brand, says Libby Sartain, who was CHRO at both companies. Brand for Talent, Sartain’s new book co-written with consultant Mark Schumann, offers seven "essentials" for building your talent brand. (See […]
On the one hand, we see businesses looking for "consumers of work" with new habits to understand and new appetites to satisfy. But on the other hand, we see tired talent strategies that no longer attract the new jobseekers, says Libby Sartain. Brand for Talent, Sartain’s new book co-written with consultant Mark Schumann, maintains that […]
Furloughs are appealing solutions to cash shortages, but they are not simple to implement, says Doug Christensen, a partner in Dorsey & Whitney’s Labor and Employment law practice group in Minneapolis. In a recent article in USA TODAY, Christensen explained that there are a number of complex legal issues that companies must navigate, such as: […]
In these tough economic times, mandatory furloughs may be an attractive alternative for many employers. However, while furloughs don’t create many of the risks of termination, there are legal pitfalls to avoid. Law firm Littler Mendelson P.C.’s blog Insight offers advice for employers contemplating furloughs. Littler attorneys Alison S. Hightower, Eric C. Bellafronto, Barry Y. […]
A reduction in force (RIF) often seems the obvious cure to financial challenges, but there can be surprisingly high costs associated with a RIF. You may want to consider alternatives. Consider these potential RIF costs: Lawsuits. This is an expensive aspect of any RIF, but there are steps to take to minimize the risk. Most […]
Reductions in Force (RIFs) under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act) are burdensome, but you might be in luck—there are six exceptions to the act, as spelled out by HR.BLR.com. First, there are three situations in which WARN rules may not apply at all: (1) The closing in question is of a […]
Yesterday’s Advisor offered tips about giving references. Today’s we look at tips for handling other types of requests, such as subpoenas and financial data, again courtesy of BLR’s SmartPolicies program. Telephone Requests What should supervisors do if they receive a telephone call requesting information on an existing or former employee? Policies should address what the […]
In employment law cases, “Victory in court is always a little bitter when the costs of achieving it are factored in,” says attorney Russell Adler. He was referring in particular to the potential dangers of giving references. Adler, who practices labor and employment law at WolfBlock, made his remarks on workforce.com. His advice: “Stay out […]
Terminations are breeding grounds for expensive lawsuits. Yesterday’s Advisor presented the first 7 of 10 questions you should ask before terminating employees. Today we’ll cover questions 8 through 10, plus look at a handy terminations checklist from HR.BLR.com®. 8. Do you have a well-documented business reason for the termination? Generally, if you can produce a […]