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HR Management

HR budgets returning to pre-recession levels

11/13/2015
The typical HR department saw its budget rise by 4.2% this year. That’s a slight rise from the past three years, when budget increases ran from 3.6% to 3.9%, but well up from the 2009-2011 recession levels, according to the newly released HR Department Benchmarks and Analysis report from Bloomberg BNA.

Scrutiny of arbitration agreements on the rise

11/13/2015
If you require employees to sign arbitration agreements as a condition of employment, expect more questions from them in light of recent media attention.

Detail exact terms for paying out accrued but unused vacation and sick leave

11/09/2015
New York Labor Law requires employers to notify employees “in writing or by publicly posting the employer’s policy on sick leave, vacation, personal leave, holidays and hours.” If employers do so, then the written policy governs whether the employee is entitled to payment of unused leave on termination.

OSHA fines to spike by 80%; first increase since 1990

11/09/2015
For the first time in 25 years, employers hit by federal workplace safety violations will see an increase in financial penalties, thanks to a little-noticed provision tucked into a budget bill signed by President Obama on Nov. 2.

Managing your old-school ‘to-do’ list

11/04/2015
Whether it’s on paper, online or on a smartphone, many people still structure their work and home tasks via to-do lists. But how do you decide which item to tackle first? Use this tried-and-true process to manage competing priorities.

HR data security in the spotlight

11/03/2015
Don’t let your employees’ information become the target of the next high-profile data breach. Here’s what you should know before contracting with a cloud vendor.

Start the day right by … eating a live frog?

11/03/2015
Here are six amazingly simple productivity routines practiced by some of the world’s greatest business minds—that could just change the tone of the entire day.

The HR I.Q. Test: November ’15

11/01/2015
Here’s your monthly quiz on HR trends and issues.

Download a new guide explaining OSHA training standards

10/28/2015
OSHA has released a new guide spelling out the occupational safety and health training employers must provide to workers.

What to do when your boss makes a bone-headed decision

10/28/2015
Going against the boss is never easy, but in rare circumstances it’s necessary. Some misguided edicts from on high require someone to speak truth to power. On the other hand, you shouldn’t call attention to every little mistake you notice. Apply these three tests to determine when to speak up against your boss.