HRIS / Technology

Should we limit use of personal phones while driving?

02/19/2009

Q. We have field employees who use their own cell phones on the job. Do we need to establish a policy on cell phone usage, even though the phones aren’t ours and aren’t required by us?

Ohio EEO official’s motto: ‘Do as I say, not as I do’

02/12/2009

The Ohio Department of Transportation’s equal employment opportunity contracts coordinator, responsible for making sure agency vendors comply with state and federal anti-discrimination laws, has been punished for sending racist and sexist messages through the agency’s e-mail system.

Online applications shouldn’t reveal race to hiring boss

02/12/2009

Employers that design online job applications to minimize the possibility that decision-makers will know about an applicant’s protected status can substantially cut their litigation risk.

Stanley University offers round-the-clock training

02/11/2009

IT firm Stanley Associates has its own, round-the-clock web-based training university for employees. Stanley University offers employees more than 3,500 courses in technology, business skills, time management, writing and other skills.

It’s February, and love is in the air—or is it harassment?

02/10/2009

As Valentine’s Day draws near, it’s time to take a loving look at that everlasting HR worry … the office romance. Supervisor-subordinate relationships can spell real trouble, and it’s no solace if—at least for a while—the subordinate welcomed the boss’s advances. More cheerfully, there’s good news about where our priorities are these days.

Go ahead and set up employee surveillance, but be careful how you pick your spots

02/02/2009

What should you do if you suspect an employee is goofing off at work or perhaps sleeping at his desk? One employer recently took the high-tech approach to that problem, setting up a surveillance camera to catch an employee in the act. It worked, but it took a trip to court to finally put this case to bed.

Inside job: Did Houston firm swipe trade secrets?

02/02/2009

Multinational materials processing company Saint-Gobain is suing a Houston competitor, Centronic LLC, and two former Saint-Gobain employees, alleging they illegally brought proprietary information with them when they went to work for Centronic.

Add some pizazz to your personal LinkedIn profile

01/27/2009

While some Web 2.0 tools are about socializing and idea swapping, LinkedIn is the only tool completely devoted to business networking. Nurturing your online presence could lead to job offers, new knowledge or a beefed-up reputation as an expert. Here’s how to get the most out of your LinkedIn profile.

Online HR master’s degree: Is it worth it? Which school is best?

01/27/2009

If you want to pursue an HR master’s degree but the nearest accredited program is too far away, consider earning your degree online. The quality of such programs has improved dramatically in recent years. Also, online programs allow you to earn the degree from anywhere at your own pace. Here are the pros and cons of earning an online degree.

Employee wrongly snared in e-mail scandal to receive $25,000

01/09/2009

The City of New York has agreed to pay $25,000 to William Hallowell, a former library assistant at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, for arresting him following an e-mail mix-up at work.