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Employee Relations

Is it time to ban swearing in the workplace?

08/25/2010
Should you establish a zero-tolerance ban on swearing in the workplace? It’s probably not realistic and you may set yourself up for discrimination claims if you clamp down on one employee’s slip-up but not another’s. Instead, establish more general rules that say offensive language and other disrespectful conduct are not permitted, and violators will be subjected to the discipline policy.

5 steps for starting a pay-for-performance system

08/24/2010

Most organizations believe they do pay for performance. They don’t. If you’re committed to starting a true pay-for-performance system, you’ll want to ease into it with lots of crystal-clear communication. Here are five ways to get started.

When firing, choose words carefully, stick to performance

08/23/2010
Employees who have just lost their jobs usually leave their termination meetings in a foul mood. So, don’t give them any reason during that meeting to send them marching to a lawyer’s office. As you’ll see in the following case, one inflammatory phrase from a supervisor can spark a lawsuit.

Remind bosses: Handle FMLA requests stoically, even if they’ll cause scheduling problems

08/20/2010
An employee’s request to take FMLA leave can be frustrating for supervisors who have to manage schedules and projects. But if they voice those concerns in a way that seems angry or annoyed, they may be creating the perfect storm for an FMLA interference lawsuit. Remind them to accept FMLA requests professionally, without emotion.

Outrageous co-worker harassment? 4 quick actions can help you avoid liability

08/20/2010

It’s going to happen eventually: An employee will report egregious behavior that is clearly sexual harassment. If your organization is lucky, the harasser will be a co-worker, which means you will have a shot at mitigating the damage with quick action. Here’s what to do when the co-worker harassment call comes in:

10 ways to motivate employees toward self-empowerment

08/20/2010
Managers and HR pros can’t empower employees, but they can create an environment that motivates them to want to act in an empowered way. Here is a 10-step model for encouraging and motivating employees. It will help them build the confidence they need to empower themselves to make decisions and take risks:

When co-workers engage in racial harassment, act fast to remove offensive symbols

08/13/2010
Employers can escape liability for employees’ racist actions if they can show they acted quickly to stop any potentially race-based harassment such as graffiti or offensive symbols.

Poor performance or disability discrimination? Keep good records to prove you’re not biased

08/13/2010

While employers have an obligation to offer reasonable accommodations to help employees who are disabled, it doesn’t follow that disabled employees can keep their jobs if they simply can’t get work done. But termination often causes a disability discrimination lawsuit. Be prepared to show exactly how poor the employee’s performance really was.

The HR I.Q. Test: August ’10

08/13/2010
Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz …

6 ways to engage workers as outlook brightens

08/11/2010
In a Robert Half International survey, employees rated “working for a stable company” and “having a strong sense of job security” as the two most important factors about their work situation. Robert Half District President Brett Good suggests that organizations should leverage that new desire for stability during the hiring process. Here are six ideas from the survey that might work for you: