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HR Management

Employee representing himself? Take it just as seriously as any other lawsuit

02/26/2014

Some employees end up suing their employers without an attorney’s help. That doesn’t mean you should follow suit and treat the case lightly. While it may seem like a slam-dunk case, chances are the court will give the employee several chances to present his best argument.

Make sure handbook includes rules on off-the-clock work, missed break time

02/26/2014
With strong policies, employees (and their lawyers) will find it much harder to mount class-action wage-and-hour lawsuits. That’s because employees have to show that a common policy or practice was responsible for wage-and-hour violations.

Teach supervisors how to manage HR-related documents and files

02/25/2014

In their quest to tidy up, super­visors sometimes discard documents that should actually have been sub­­mitted to HR and added to an em­­ployee’s official personnel file, e.g., FMLA leave requests. Here are tips for deciding which documents to retain and which to pitch.

IRCA: Hiring Immigrants

02/22/2014

HR Law 101: Two laws govern U.S. immigration policy: the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986, which was amended in 1990. For each new employee hired, U.S. employers must complete a Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. The I-9 establishes the employee’s identity and legal work status.

Stressed for success? Most, least stressful jobs

02/21/2014
Jobs that require facing unpredictable conditions, immediate dangers and high-stakes situations rank at the top of CareerCast.com’s list of America’s most and least stressful jobs.

Acceptable Documents for I-9

02/20/2014

HR Law 101: Under the Immigration Reform and Control Act, new employees must provide to employers proof of identity and employment eligibility with documents listed on the I-9 Form ….

What keeps HR pros engaged?

02/20/2014
According to a new survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, 86% of HR professionals say they’re satisfied with their jobs. Key factors that keep them engaged in their work:

Noncompete agreements for new and existing employees

02/19/2014
Q. We recently merged with a smaller company, taking on several new sales people. Most of our existing sales staff are long-time, loyal employees, so we haven’t previously used noncompete agreements. However, we’re now reconsidering this. Can we ­require all of our sales staff to sign noncompetes?

How to handle confidential information when onboarding new hires

02/19/2014
Although most employers are sensitive to the need to protect their own company’s confidential information, they may not be as attuned as they should be to the other side of the coin. A recent trial experience provided an extraordinary lesson on the significant legal exposure an employer can face when hiring employees from a competitor.

3 Minnesota employers make Fortune’s ‘best’ list

02/19/2014
Minnesota-based Allianz Life Insur­­ance of North America, the Mayo Clinic and General Mills made Fortune magazine’s 2014 list of America’s 100 best companies to work for.