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Communication

Tell employees to read each form; don’t summarize

11/01/2004
Issue: The danger of telling employees “Don’t bother reading that; it probably doesn’t apply to you.” Risk: Courts may view your action as a cover-up, sparking …

Build support for your decisions with ‘visible’ thinking

11/01/2004
Issue: The wording you use to explain your decisions, and the organization’s decisions, affect your credibility.
Risk: Vague or nonexistent explanations …

Want a competitive edge? Push managers to give feedback

11/01/2004
Issue: The importance of giving consistent feedback on employee performance. Benefit: When managers provide feedback, employees are more likely to stay …

Tell ‘key employees’ right away if denying job reinstatement

11/01/2004
Issue: FMLA lets you deny post-leave reinstatement, in some situations, to highly paid “key employees.” Benefit: That provision can shelter your organization from …

Start ‘leave meter’ running at first absence

11/01/2004
Issue: When does FMLA leave begin? How soon do you need to notify employees on leave? Benefit: A new court ruling clarifies that those 12 weeks begin with the first …

Notify ‘key employee’ right away if denying reinstatement to job

10/01/2004
Employees who take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are usually guaranteed reinstatement to their jobs. But one key exception exists: You can designate a class of highly …

Create an IM policy to improve productivity, data security

10/01/2004
Issue: Instant messaging, or IM, has become the communication tool of choice in many companies. Risk: Too many employees use IM for unauthorized …

Water-cooler politics: Limit trouble, but allow free speech

10/01/2004
John Kerry and George Bush aren’t the only people embroiled in political debates this month. So are some of your employees. And, with the country at war …

Start of absence, not approval date, sets 12-week FMLA clock ticking

09/01/2004
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), eligible employees can take up to 12 weeks of job-protected, unpaid leave. When do those 12 weeks officially begin? A new court ruling …

When in doubt, print it out: Don’t change policy via e-mail

09/01/2004
Issue: How to notify employees of new employment policies or changes to existing policies. Risk: A new court ruling says that using solely e-mail notification can lead to unwanted legal …