Tag: procedures

The 10 Sins of Performance Appraisers

Performance evaluation—it’s hard to get it right, but, unfortunately, it’s easy—and expensive— to get it wrong. We’ve identified the 10 most common mistakes of managers and supervisors who conduct performance appraisals. We call them the “10 Sins.”   Sin #1. Failure to set meaningful goals “Well, Sandy, I think we did fairly well this year, […]

If You Can’t Deduct, What Can You Do? (No More PTO)

Yesterday’s Advisor explored the challenges of dealing with exempt employees who have exhausted their paid time off (PTO). Today, if deducting pay is not an option, what is? Here’s how to approach the situation: First, if it is important for the employees to be in the office during consistent work hours, make sure that is […]

‘My Exempt Employee Has No PTO but Needs Time Off’

PTO banks can be a great way to simplify time off requests. They can also be a way to ensure that salaried employees do not take advantage of their salaried status and take time off without boundaries. However, when poorly administered, PTO can cause employees to lose their exemptions. PTO helps to bridge the gap […]

EEOC

Steps to a Fair Investigation

When an employee complaint comes in, what action should be taken? Does your workplace have a complaint investigation procedure that is followed each time? Having a thorough investigation process is vital to treating employees fairly and consistently; it is also key to getting all of the facts each time so that the organization can take […]

What Does GINA Protect?

In 2008, Congress recognized scientific advances in the field of genetics and feared these advances would give rise to misuse and discrimination based on genetic information. This led to the passing of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)

Obesity Can Be a Disability, Court Rules

An employee’s obesity may be a disability covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal district court has held. The employer challenged the claim, arguing that the ADA does not cover obesity, but the court disagreed, refusing to dismiss the suit. Joseph Whittaker sued his former employer, America’s Car-Mart, Inc., alleging that the company […]

Casual References and Endorsements on Social Media

Yesterday’s Advisor featured tips on social media policies from Attorney Jonathan Segal. Today, his tips on casual references and endorsements and friending and unfriending work colleagues.   Casual References Casual references on LinkedIn or other professional social media sites pose legal risks: Defamation (if they are negative and untrue). Misrepresentation (if they are positive and […]

Don’t Deny It, Social Media Is Mainstream—and Full of Pitfalls

Don’t try to deny it, social media is mainstream now, says Attorney Jonathan Segal, and its influence is only going to grow. Before too long, the workplace will be 75 percent Millennials, and they use social media with a vengeance. (By the way, Boomers aren’t that far behind, he adds.)   Social Media includes, for […]

Is it an ‘Undue Hardship’ to Allow Tattoos in the Workplace?

In yesterday’s Advisor, we covered legal issues related to tattoos in the workplace; today, more on hardship and tattoos, plus an introduction to the all-things-HR-in-one-place website, HR.BLR.com. Again, our advice comes from BLR Legal Editor, Jasmin Rojas, JD.   The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that an undue hardship, in the context of an accommodation […]

Are Tattoos Taboo in the Workplace?

It’s going to be a challenging year for HR (well, aren’t they all?). In today’s Advisor we’ll take a look at three levels of concern—policy HR issues like technology, health care, and social media; basic HR issues like wage/hour threats; and strategic HR issues like losing your high potentials because your Boomers aren’t retiring. Technology […]