• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Employee Relations

Be wary of discussing sensitive personnel issues via e-mail

12/01/2006

You’ve got (legally explosive) e-mail. That’s the message a Broward Circuit Court jury recently delivered to United Parcel Service in a court decision that hinged on a single e-mail sent by a company official …

Employers benefiting from latest round of prescription drug price wars

12/01/2006

In a move that is spurring big competition among pharmacies, Wal-Mart is quickly expanding its low-cost prescription program, which began in Florida in October, to an additional 27 states. The retailing giant will offer $4 prescriptions for 30-day supplies of about 300 common generic drugs, whether the customer carries insurance or not …

Wal-Mart’s Low-Cost Drug Plan May Help Cure Employer Woes

12/01/2006

Wal-Mart’s recent expansion of its popular generic drug plan into Georgia and 26 other states bodes well for employers struggling to keep up with rising health insurance rates …

Pill for a health cost headache: Wal-Mart’s Low-Cost Drugs in N.J.

12/01/2006

Health insurance premiums for New Jersey families covered by employer plans rose about 80 percent over the past six years and grew a whopping 5.5 times faster than their income, according to a Families USA study. On the bright side, Wal-Mart recently expanded its new low-cost generic drug program to New Jersey …

Learn from the best: 5 retention tips from top companies

12/01/2006

When it comes to recruiting and retaining, organizations don’t need to reinvent the wheel or create bold initiatives to attract and keep the best workers. Sometimes, simply doing the tried-and-true things right are all you need …

Water-cooler chitchat: productivity booster or killer?

12/01/2006

When workers yak it up in the company break room, don’t be so quick to bark a quick “Back to work!” …

Employers can be liable for harassing customers, too

12/01/2006

Employees have the legal right to work in a harassment-free environment, and employers must take corrective measures to end harassment when it comes to their attention. It doesn’t matter that the harassment comes from customers or others the employer has no control over …

Build a Sturdy ‘Escape Hatch’ Into Your Organization’s Discipline Policy

12/01/2006

Does your employee handbook outline a progressive discipline process and also include a contract disclaimer? If so, you may think the disclaimer prevents employees from claiming that the discipline policy was a "contract" that can’t be skipped over in favor of instant termination. But you’d be wrong …

Documenting ‘In Case of Litigation’ Isn’t Proof of Job Bias

12/01/2006

When dealing with difficult employees, supervisors often go the extra mile to document their interactions (and any discipline) in case the employee ever sues. But does this extra effort at documentation provide proof that the supervisor intends to discriminate? …

Don’t dock hours from salaried employee’s pay

12/01/2006

Q. We have a salaried employee who holds down a second job. Sometimes, she leaves early on Fridays and comes in late on Mondays because the second job overlaps with our office hours. Can we deduct anything from her pay after she has used up her vacation and leave time? Or do we have to pay her even though she leaves early and comes in late? —D.J., Virginia