Employee Relations

N.D. co-op doubles down when employees raise $7K for Haiti

02/17/2010

Every Friday is “Jeans Day” at Bismarck, N.D.-based Basin Electric. That’s when employees who want to sport weekend wear at work pay $1 for the privilege—money that the electric distribution cooperative donates to local charities. But on Jan. 15, just after the earthquake in Haiti, they raised $7,518.44—in one day—to send to the American Red Cross for Haiti relief.

Should we investigate? Worker may have been a victim of bias, but has yet to complain

02/12/2010

Q. We’re afraid one of our employees may have been subjected to discrimination here at work. However, she hasn’t filed a complaint. What should we do? Do we have an obligation to bring it up and investigate even if she declines?

Indiana Medical Center makes Fortune ‘best-to-work-for’ list

02/12/2010

The Indiana Regional Medical Center (IRMC) in west central Pennsylvania cracked Fortune magazine’s 2010 list of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” IRMC came in at 60th on Fortune’s list, based on its impressively low nurse turnover rate of 2%.

Must we allow an employee’s ‘representative’ to sit in on investigative meetings?

02/11/2010

Q. We are a nonunion shop. One of our employees is currently under investigation for sexual harassment. He has asked to have a representative present during all meetings and interviews related to the investigation. Do we have to permit him to have representation?

4 N.J. companies make Fortune best-places-to-work list

02/10/2010

Three health care-related firms and the American operation of a luxury car manufacturer comprise the four New Jersey firms named to Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For.

‘Anonymous’ harassment: How to respond when harasser is faceless and nameless

02/09/2010

In some cases, employees are harassed via scrawled words on a wall, voice mail messages or some other shadowy act. You may never be able to pinpoint the culprit, but you must still do something. Begin by opening an investigation, just as you would for any other complaint. Then remind all employees about your anti-harassment policies.

Accommodations: Use the courts’ simple factors to decide if a job function is really essential

02/09/2010

It’s up to employers to determine which job functions are essential and which are not. When a disabled employee challenges an employer’s list of essential functions, courts generally won’t second-guess the employer if the list of functions passes muster against a few simple guidelines. When deciding whether job functions are essential, courts consider these factors:

How can you rein in rogue ‘early clockers’?

02/05/2010

Do you have employees who clock in before their shift starts, then stand around drinking coffee for a half-hour? How can you cut down on this “on-the-clock-but-standing-around” time? …

Your new workers’ comp investigator: Facebook

02/05/2010

More employers are using Facebook and other social media sites to spot employees who file fraudulent workers’ comp claims. Example: An employee who was in too much pain to get out of bed posted video of himself competing in a rodeo.

RIF? Make sure layoff decision-makers don’t know workers’ FMLA status

02/03/2010

Economic times remain tough, and businesses are still finding they have to cut costs to survive. And cutting costs often means looking at a possible reduction in force. In most organizations facing that difficult prospect, a team of managers has to decide where the cuts should be made and what criteria to use when making those cuts. Make sure the decision-making team doesn’t have access to information about FMLA usage …