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Employee Relations

HR Must Referee Employees’ McCain-Obama Debates: Know the Law

09/09/2008
John McCain and Barack Obama aren’t the only people embroiled in political debates this fall. So are some of your employees. And their water-cooler conversations may turn especially heated in the next few weeks. How HR handles political speech may spell the difference between workplace civility and civil war.

Remember the WARN Act when making reductions in force

09/09/2008
During difficult economic times, businesses consider various cost-cutting measures—and shrinking the company’s workforce often tops the list. But failing to give employees adequate notice of layoffs can quickly turn a cost-savings initiative into a significant liability …

You can’t ignore—or excuse—Offensive cultural symbols

09/09/2008
There’s no excuse for ignorance when it comes to racially hostile symbols and speech in the workplace. Employers that ignore harassing co-workers—hiding their heads in the sand or relying solely on handbooks that tell employees how to complain—may be setting themselves up for a losing lawsuit …

Don’t be intimidated by sudden disability claim during discipline

09/09/2008
Employees who face discipline and are worried about losing their jobs may believe that claiming they are disabled will stop or at least delay the inevitable. They think the ADA is a shield against punishment. Don’t fall for that trick …

Harassment complaint earns retaliation protection if complaint was made in good faith

09/08/2008
Many employees seem to believe that they can get job protection and immunity from reasonable discipline just by complaining to management about alleged harassment. But employees who make pests of themselves by reporting every comment they overhear or interaction they see aren’t automatically protected from retaliation …

Track discipline to ensure equal treatment for equal offenses, regardless of protected class

09/08/2008
Sometimes, it seems as if everyone belongs to some protected class, or a combination of classes. Since any disparate treatment for the same rule violation may trigger a discrimination lawsuit, HR should be prepared to show that no employee in any particular classification is singled out for more severe punishment. Given the number of possible combinations, that’s a difficult task …

Staffing firm CEO accused of skimming $182 million in taxes

09/08/2008
Frank Amodeo, head of Mirabilis Ventures in Orlando, has been indicted on 27 counts of conspiracy and fraud for allegedly stealing $182 million in payroll taxes from thousands of businesses across the state …

Did business grad bilk UM workers in Ponzi scheme?

09/08/2008
Andres Pimstein, a graduate of the University of Miami (UM) School of Business, didn’t venture far from his alma mater before putting all his hard-earned business savvy to use. He is accused of luring dozens of university employees into investing in what turned out to be a $30 million Ponzi scheme …

Consider impact of high prices on hourly employees

09/05/2008

s the prices of gas and groceries continue to climb, your organization’s hourly employees might be having a hard time making ends meet—a problem that could create stress and distraction at work. Consider adding some inexpensive extras for employees who have to choose between buying quality food and filling their gas tanks so they can drive to work …

‘Pool’ together to ease pain at the pump

09/05/2008

With gas prices near historic highs, some organizations are attempting to help out. Nearly 57% of large and small companies have launched at least one program to beat the high cost of commuting, a new Challenger, Gray & Christmas survey reports.