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Employee Relations

Put a stop to harassment ASAP–fast action now prevents liability even years later

02/10/2011
Sexual harassment sometimes grows slowly, starting out fairly innocuously before accelerating to behavior that creates a truly hostile work environment. Courts understand that and have created a specific legal doctrine to help harassed employees—the continuing violation doctrine.

Injured employee may have returned too soon: Can we require him to take more leave?

02/10/2011
Q. We’re afraid that a previously injured worker returned from medical leave too soon. Can we require him to take additional leave if it’s obvious that the injury is still hurting his job performance?

With harassment, punishment should fit crime

02/10/2011

Employers sometimes assume they have to harshly punish every incident that violates their sexual harassment policies—which often means termination. That isn’t necessarily so. You can differentiate between various kinds of conduct that fit your definition of harassment, but clearly aren’t equally severe.

Think your employees are weird? Get a load of these guys!

02/08/2011
If you think your employees can be an odd bunch, rest assured they’re probably not the weirdest of the weird. The working world is a strange and wondrous place, thanks to the colorful characters that inhabit it. Here are three good examples.

How to prevent succession planning from triggering discrimination complaints

02/04/2011
Many companies design succession plans so they can spot the next generation of leaders early and develop current employees to their full potential. If your organization is involved in such a process, step back and look: Does everyone who is tapped for special treatment come from the same race or gender? Or does the chosen group exclude older workers or the disabled?

Has the recession changed productivity expectations?

02/04/2011
A full 86% of U.S. executives say their company demands more time and commitment from employees now than when the recession began, according to Deloitte’s 2010 Ethics & Workplace Survey.

Addressing performance problems: 7 steps to success

02/01/2011
Talking with employees about performance problems can be uncomfortable for any manager. But it’s also a crucial part of the job and, if done well, will ultimately make a manager’s job much easier. Feel free to pass along these seven performance-improvement tips to your organization’s managers.

Block inadvertent bias from creeping into reviews

01/31/2011
When drafting performance reviews, every manager aims to be fair and consistent. But research shows that, too often, a concept known as “rater bias” can subtly—and inadvertently—influence a manager’s ratings. Here are the six most common types of bias to be aware of when drafting reviews or other types of feedback:

Track potential disciplinary problems as they occur

01/21/2011
For most problem employees, deteriorating behavior and performance is a gradual process. Smart employers track the downward trajectory along the way.

Use independent investigation to prove you’re not biased

01/21/2011
Employers can sometimes be held liable if they rubber-stamp recommendations that come from supervisors who discriminate. Your best defense is to conduct a truly independent investigation before making disciplinary decisions. That will cut the liability cord.