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Productivity / Performance

Progressive discipline among best ways to beat bias claims

04/14/2008
There’s no law that says employers must use a progressive discipline system—but that’s no reason not to. In fact, using progressive discipline is one of the best ways to fight frivolous discrimination claims …

Use peer-Review process to assess subjective qualities—And justify discipline

04/14/2008
Whether dealing with clients or co-workers, an abrasive, rude and arrogant employee can spell big trouble. The problem, of course, is measuring something as subjective as likeability or abrasiveness. One possible way: Use a peer-review process to gather relevant information and a consensus on how well employees get along with others …

Top 5 mistakes employers make and how to avoid them

04/10/2008

Poor communications with employees isn’t just bad for business. It also creates a work environment that’s ripe for legal trouble. Stay out of the courtroom by taking time to explain your actions and make the workplace seem rational to employees. Here’s how.

Pew report gives low grade to Illinois government

04/09/2008
The Washington, D.C.-based Pew Center recently released a report grading state governments on their general performance. Illinois scored a C on the report card. In keeping with contemporary sensibilities, this C did not mean average—it meant the bottom of the barrel …

Older worker’s performance falling? Document the decline before discharge

04/08/2008
It almost never looks good in court when an employee who has been with the company for decades suddenly loses his job. For many potential jurors, that smacks of age discrimination even before they’ve heard any testimony. That’s one reason to try to get age cases dismissed long before a jury gets a chance to impose its judgment …

6 steps for managing ‘difficult’ employees

04/07/2008
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Incorporating Self-Reviews: A Simple, 3-Question Process

04/01/2008
by Paul Falcone Drafting performance reviews is always a daunting task for supervisors, for many legitimate reasons: Judging others’ work often appears exceptionally perception-driven (vs. fact-driven), and providing honest feedback is potentially confrontational. Plus, if you overinflate grades, you create a record that may not withstand legal scrutiny if you later want to terminate or […]

Include staff self-Assessment in evaluation process

04/01/2008
When an employee sues for an alleged discriminatory firing, the court will want to see the employee’s evaluation. A sterling evaluation and high praise quickly cast doubt on a termination supposedly based on poor performance. How, then, can you encourage honest evaluations? Have employees identify their own weaknesses and address those in their performance evaluations …

Track performance improvement plans by protected category

04/01/2008
Employers frequently design performance improvement plans (PIPs) for underperforming employees. But the way managers choose which employees to place on PIPs can have serious consequences. Here’s how to make sure your PIP system is fair—and legal …

You can fire high performers just because of poor attitude

04/01/2008
We’ve all encountered the type: employees who are smart—and know it. They work hard and produce results. But they are so arrogant, so abrasive and so insistent that their way is the right way that they kill morale. You don’t have to keep them on just because they meet or even exceed business goals …