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Employee Relations

With Cyber Monday looming, it’s time to reinforce your Internet policy

10/01/2010
The day after Thanksgiving has come to be known as Black Friday, when hordes descend on malls to get a jump on holiday shopping. It will be followed by Cyber Monday, the day when office workers nationwide clog company servers with a frenzy of online holiday shopping. So now’s a good time remind employees of your Internet usage policy. A good policy emphasizes that …

Hey, boss, you better call HR! Warn managers against trying to resolve complaints informally

09/30/2010

Sometimes, managers and supervisors just want their employees to get along and get their work done. When they hear someone complaining about sexual or other harassment, they may be tempted to blow it off as a distraction and just ignore it or tell the co-workers involved to stop it. That’s not good enough.

The latest buzz: Tomorrow is National Coffee Day!

09/28/2010
National Coffee Day is tomorrow, Sept. 29, and according to a new survey commissioned by Dunkin’ Donuts and CareerBuilder.com, a cuppa Joe helps keep the nation’s workforce—particularly younger workers—productive and energetic through the workday.

3 former female execs sue Goldman Sachs

09/27/2010
Only on Wall Street can you make $800,000 a year and claim that you’re underpaid. But three women who used to earn big bucks at Goldman Sachs are suing because they could have earned even more if they were men.

When investigating bias, there’s fast … and too fast

09/27/2010
You no doubt know you should act fast to investigate when employees complain about discrimination. But that doesn’t mean you need to rush to complete your inquiry in just one day.

Keep the flame alive: Simple ways to motivate employees

09/27/2010
It’s more important than ever for supervisors to create an environment that supports, motivates and empowers their employees. Here are some step to take.

Congress probes bias at Air Marshal’s Cincy office

09/24/2010
The Cincinnati field office of the Federal Air Marshal Service faces a Congressional inquiry after being named as the defendant in six civil rights lawsuits and 15 EEOC complaints. U.S. Rep. Ed Towns, D-N.Y., and U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., have called for the investigation.

Cincinnati accountant got rich, then got jail time

09/24/2010
A former accounting manager for Cincinnati-based Clark Western Building Systems has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return as part of a nine-year embezzlement scheme she concocted. Kimberly Prebles almost got away with millions; now she has to pay it back—and then some.

Bring clear documentation to earn quick dismissal

09/24/2010

When employees file their own lawsuits, judges often bend over backward to help them out. They reason that employees who lack legal expertise deserve a little slack in court. That’s when it becomes crucial for employers to come to court armed with solid evidence that they handled the employee fairly.

Remind bosses: Report all harassment complaints

09/24/2010

Lower-level supervisors sometimes fail to respond to sexual harassment complaints, even if they’re familiar with their company’s policies. Some may consider sexual harassment a less-than-serious problem. Others may simply not want to admit it’s a problem at all. That’s where education comes in. Regularly remind all supervisors that the consequences of ignoring harassment complaints can be serious.