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Employee Relations

Disability isn’t a free pass to insubordination; enforce behavior rules with all employees

08/20/2009

Some employees with genuine disabilities may think they can use their physical or mental conditions as an excuse to break workplace behavior rules. They can’t. As long as those rules are clearly explained and enforced equally, you don’t have to listen to my-disability-made-me-do-it excuses. You can lower the boom.

What constitutes FMLA notice?

08/14/2009

Q. An employee called in sick but did not provide any information, other than that he was sick and would not be at work. He didn’t mention the FMLA by name. Was his phone call sufficient notice that he might need FMLA leave?

Porn on shared computer? Investigate carefully

08/14/2009

Your computer-usage policy no doubt prohibits visiting pornographic and other inappropriate sites. But what if someone surfs forbidden sites using a computer that an entire group of employees has access to? That makes it difficult to positively identify the guilty user. Your IT department can provide technical assistance so you can base your investigation and conclusions on facts.

Keep cases from escalating: When hot-headed manager blows up, order cooling-off period

08/14/2009

Even the best bosses sometimes blow up. An employee slacks off or messes up, and the manager lashes out. Everyone knows such outbursts shouldn’t happen. That doesn’t mean they won’t. How you handle the aftermath may make the difference between a jury trial and a smooth return to workplace normalcy.

Pilferage problem: Can we require all our warehouse workers to take lie detector tests?

08/14/2009

Q. We’re finding that there’s been an upsurge of items missing from our warehouse inventory. Can we require our warehouse employees to submit to polygraph tests?

It cuts both ways: Be on guard for religious harassment that offends nonbelievers, too

08/13/2009

Employees are entitled to work in an environment free from religious harassment, and employers should treat such harassment just as seriously as they do any other kind of harassment. Do that by promptly investigating complaints and fixing any problems you discover. What you don’t want to do is ignore religious harassment.

Keep careful track of work-restriction notes

08/13/2009

Some bosses are visibly irked when they receive a doctor’s note restricting the work an employee can perform. If the employee notices that reaction and then gets disciplined or fired, watch out for a lawsuit! Her attorney will probably try to link the timing of the doctor’s note and the adverse employment action as proof of discrimination or retaliation. 

Poor performance terminations and COBRA: Can we deny the new COBRA subsidy?

08/13/2009

Q. We had to terminate an employee for failure to adequately perform his job responsibilities. Can we deny him the COBRA subsidy because the termination was not a layoff or a result of the economy?

Problem Solved: Real People … Real Comp & Benefits Solutions, Sept. ’09

08/11/2009

This month’s collection of real-world quick tips from American business leaders, brought to you by members of The Alternative Board.

Virginia firm’s dog lovers take a cause for the paws

08/07/2009

About a third of the 15 employees who work for ClearedJobs.net in Falls Church, Va., bring their dogs to work. So it was pretty easy for Chief Marketing Officer Kathleen Smith to convince the group to pitch in when she decided to send care packages to U.S. military working dogs in Afghanistan.