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Employee Relations

It’s essential to follow AG’s rules for disciplining police officers

11/25/2008

If you work in HR for a New Jersey law enforcement agency, take heed: Agencies that adopt the New Jersey attorney general’s (AG) guidelines on disciplinary actions must follow those guidelines if they expect their disciplinary decisions to stick.

One more reason to keep job descriptions current

11/25/2008

If you don’t have up-to-date job descriptions, you are asking for legal trouble the next time an employee asks for reasonable accommodations under the ADA. Without a current job description, the employee will come up with her own—quite possibly minimizing the essential functions she can’t perform.

Don’t fear conflicting reviews show discrimination

11/25/2008

Sometimes, employees work with several supervisors, all of whom provide input on that employee’s performance. But courts generally won’t view differing evaluations by more than one supervisor as evidence of discrimination

The HR I.Q. Test: December ’08

11/23/2008

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

Economic woes force changes in staffing, salaries, benefits

11/21/2008

As the impact of the global economic crisis takes hold, one-fifth of U.S. employers have instituted layoffs and another 26% expect to shed jobs in the next 12 months, according to a survey by global consulting firm Watson Wyatt.

Can we require worker to wear hearing aid?

11/21/2008

Q. An employee with severe hearing loss refuses to use his hearing aid. He works in a loud environment with forklifts and other hazards. Can we force him to wear the hearing aid or otherwise remove him from the floor? We think he’s endangering himself because he can’t hear someone warning him about a hazard.

HR cost-cutting moves: Your benchmarks for surviving the meltdown

11/18/2008

As the impact of the global economic crisis takes hold, a quarter of U.S. employers expect to make layoffs in the next 12 months. Find out how employers nationwide are hunkering down—and the HR lessons you can apply to your organization. Your goal: Do what needs to be done … without killing productivity.

Memo to Managers: 6 ways to lead your team to peak productivity

11/18/2008

In tough economic times, organizations must focus on getting the highest possible return on their workforce investment. Here are six ways managers can help employees maximize their productivity. Guess what: These are also among the best ways to improve retention. Feel free to share these tips with managers throughout your organization.

Illini faculty, staff rally for political rights

11/12/2008

In October, the University of Illinois released a statement informing students and faculty that a state ethics law bars state workers from political activities on campus. Students and faculty protested, claiming the university was trampling on their First Amendment rights.

How must employees ask for FMLA leave?

11/12/2008

Q. Does an employee have to say that she wants to “take FMLA leave” in order to satisfy the requirement that she notify her employer of her “intent to take leave”? What must an employee tell an employer to preserve her right to take FMLA leave?