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Employees sit up and beg for pet lovers’ insurance

04/01/2008
Most employers that offer health insurance to employees also let them buy additional coverage for family members. Perhaps it’s not so unusual then that some companies provide optional pet health insurance. After all, for many people, pets are part of the family, too …

Executive’s handwritten notes help seal recruiting deal

04/01/2008
Gen Y employees love to communicate electronically, but remember: They still can be swayed by the power of the handwritten note …

Scrap employee referral program in favor of ‘Talent scouts’

04/01/2008
Think for a minute: How’s the ROI on your employee referral program (ERP)? If you can’t name one great ERP-related hire in the past five months, that’s not a good sign. As a result, it may be time to jump on a more modern method of sparking internal recruiting …

The New Way to Build ROI on Employee Referrals

04/01/2008
Think for a minute: How’s the ROI on your employee referral program (ERP)? If you can’t name one great ERP-related hire in the past five months, that’s not a good sign. As a result, it may be time to jump on a more modern method of sparking internal recruiting …

Drug testing after a workplace accident

04/01/2008
Q. Last week, one of our employees drove a piece of equipment into a shelving unit. The employee caused substantial damage to the equipment and the products on the shelves. He could have seriously injured a co-worker. The employee’s supervisor reported that the employee’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot. Can we require the employee to submit to a drug test? — S.S., White Bear Lake …

The EEOC’s new initiatives for 2008: All talk … or a real threat?

04/01/2008
In recent months, the EEOC has made a lot of noise about new initiatives to combat workplace discrimination. Three of the most prominent include (1) the E-RACE Initiative, (2) employment testing and (3) protections for caregivers … 

Who pays for pre-Employment medical exams?

04/01/2008
Q. We require new employees to undergo pre-employment medical exams. May we require a new employee to cover the cost of the exam? We have 35 employees …

Alternative staffing models may save on employment costs

03/18/2008
During these difficult economic times, small and midsized businesses are looking for ways to reduce their employment costs—while maintaining employee benefits and gaining a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Many employers are looking at alternative staffing models to meet those objectives …

HR Groups Rally Around Legislation to Create New Electronic Verification System

03/04/2008

Congress is considering legislation that would create a new mandatory electronic employment eligibility verification system to replace the current, widely criticized E-Verify program. HR groups are applauding, in part because 90% of employers already use the software on which it is based. Learn more about a proposal that could greatly simplify a cumbersome process.

You don’t have to make perfect decisions—Just honest ones

03/01/2008

When it comes to hiring or promotion decisions, courts will rarely meddle when companies make honest decisions—even if those decisions aren’t the best or most rational ones. Unless there’s some other underlying discriminatory reason, judges generally won’t second-guess even boneheaded decisions …