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Employee Relations

No need to accommodate shorter commute

02/24/2009

Employers have to make reasonable accommodations for employees or applicants who have disabilities—and those accommodations may include assignment to an open position. But if the underlying reason for an employee’s request to transfer to an open position is that a medical provider recommended a shorter commute, you don’t have to make the accommodation.

Forget FMLA absences when rating employee attendance

02/24/2009

Employers aren’t allowed to count absences covered by the FMLA when they discipline employees. That’s why it’s important to segregate any such absences from performance reviews and any discussions about attendance.

20 tips for motivating your employees

02/24/2009

In addition to setting goals and tracking progress, it’s the manager’s job to help motivate their workers toward excellent performance. Here are 20 simple motivational tools to keep in your bag.

2 Pennsylvania employers make Fortune ‘best’ list

02/24/2009

Two companies headquartered in Pennsylvania have made Fortune magazine’s 2009 “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. They are Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, headquartered in Allentown, and retailer Men’s Wearhouse, based in Pittston.

New economic stimulus law will find HR working closely with accounting

02/20/2009

The politics of the economic recovery and stimulus bill President Obama signed on Feb. 17 have been the talk of Washington for weeks. Now get ready to figure out what it really means for business. Tip for HR pros: Plan on spending lots of time in the accounting department.

Record number of employers dispute unemployment claims

02/19/2009

When you fire an employee for misconduct and he proceeds to file an unemployment compensation claim, how does your organization respond? In recent years, record numbers of U.S. employers have challenged those payouts. The rise in challenges can be pegged to more employers citing misconduct as the reason for terminations.

Motivating in a void: Prevent ‘survivor syndrome’ in yourself and your team

02/15/2009
Layoffs put retention on shaky ground at precisely the time that remaining employees’ loyalty is key to your organization’s success. Ignoring that “survivor syndrome” will only cripple morale further and generate more turnover. Communication is the key to overcoming it. Here’s how:

Florida companies make Fortune ‘best to work for’ list

02/12/2009

Three companies headquartered in Florida have made the 2009 Fortune magazine “100 Best Companies to Work For” list: Publix Super Markets, headquartered in Lakeland; Baptist Health South, of Coral Gables; and JM Family Enterprises, based in Deerfield Beach.

Cite specific reasons for disciplining every employee who breaks company rules

02/12/2009

When it comes to disciplining employees, one size almost never fits all. An individual approach—one that considers the very specific circumstances that led to the discipline—is usually best.

Show you are serious about workplace safety

02/12/2009

You can and should punish employees who refuse to play by company safety rules. You’ll probably win any workplace injury case if you can show that the accident would never have occurred if the employee had followed the rules.