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HRIS / Technology

Confused about recordkeeping? DOL unveils online aid

09/05/2008

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) last month debuted the FirstStep Recordkeeping, Reporting and Notices Advisor, an online tool that helps employers determine which federal laws, record-keeping requirements and poster rules apply to them …

5 criteria your recruiting web pages must meet

08/28/2008
Your next great new hire is probably looking online for a job right now. There’s no substitute for an effective career page that potential applicants can find through your organization’s public website.

New interview question: ‘What’s your favorite color?’

08/28/2008
What do the colors people choose say about their suitability for a certain career? CareerBuilder just unveiled a “Color Career Counselor,” an online color-based personality test that looks at the relationship between color choices and career compatibility …

Cell phones, laptops and BlackBerrys: Understand the liability risks

08/27/2008

Before you hand out cell phones, laptops and BlackBerrys to everyone on your staff, understand that such tech tools may expose your organization to legal liability. Two legal minefields are particularly worrisome …

Gas pains: Implemented properly, telecommuting can be win-Win

08/26/2008
During this period of high gas prices, telecommuting could help employees cut commuting costs. With the right kind of phone and computer equipment, many workers can do their jobs as effectively from home as they can from their usual work sites. Employers benefit from increased productivity and lower absenteeism, higher retention rates and better employee morale …

Could a court order force us to compromise our employees’ privacy?

08/26/2008
Q. I heard that Google is being forced to hand over YouTube access logs to Viacom as evidence in a copyright suit. This seems like a major privacy issue. Our company provides free health information to our employees over the Internet. Our internal web site users have created employee profiles that include personal information such as their names and e-mail addresses. Could we be forced to hand over our user information if we ever became involved in litigation? …

Is video surveillance of employees legal?

08/26/2008
Q. My family owns a chain of electronics stores. We suspect that employees have stolen some merchandise. We want to install surveillance cameras in our inventory storage room and possibly near the back door of the store where the theft occurred. Are there any legal issues that we should take into consideration? …

Child porn from lawmaker’s PC leads to quick resignation

08/25/2008
Just a week after child pornography was found on his office computer, State Assemblyman Neil Cohen turned in a one-sentence resignation letter. A General Assembly staffer allegedly found a photo of a naked girl in Cohen’s Union Township office …

What are the rules on recording an investigative conversation?

08/22/2008
Q. We need to investigate a claim of misconduct against an employee and will interview the employee in person or over the phone. May we record the conversation without telling the employee? …

Work Marathon Interrupted by Olympics Online

08/19/2008
The Games of the XXIX Olympiad are in full swing, and that means a certain number of your employees are watching on the web. According to a CareerBuilder.com survey, 12% of workers say they plan to watch some of the Beijing Olympics at work. Should you crack down … or see what life lessons the Games can offer?