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HR Management

Union president in Longview sentenced for embezzlement

12/16/2013
A federal judge has sentenced the former president of GMP Allied Workers Local 284 to 12 months and one day in prison after he pleaded guilty to embezzlement charges. The union official admitted taking $124,181 from the Longview-based local between 2000 and 2011.

PTO banks take off

12/12/2013
Paid time off—vacation, sick and personal days all in one plan—is now the most common form of paid leave.

Factor disabled employee needs into planning for natural disasters

12/10/2013
When disaster strikes, smart employers have contingency plans in place to keep the business running. Such plans need to account for the kind of emergency facing the organization—and how it will handle the needs of disabled employees during and after the disaster.

Whoa! Never saw that one coming! You’re not responsible for aberrant crime

12/10/2013
Unless it’s obvious that an em­­ployer acted maliciously by purposely setting out to harm an employee, chances are it won’t be held responsible for the consequences of a co-worker’s crime.

Best defense against bias suit: consistency

12/10/2013
You simply never know which employee will sue for discrimination. Your best defense is to consistently treat all employees equally. Make all your workers follow all your workplace rules all the time.

Must we tell staff & visitors they’re being watched?

12/10/2013

Q. We recently installed cameras in our plant’s production areas. The cameras aren’t hidden, and it is common knowledge they were installed. Do I need to post something notifying employees and visitors that the area is under video surveillance? Should I have employees sign something? 

Recruiting, payroll & perks: Yeah, there’s an HR app for that

12/09/2013
If you don’t use HR-related apps right now, there is a good chance you will in the near future. Here are some apps worth checking out to save time and administrative costs:

Set policies to rein in 4 holiday headaches

12/06/2013
The period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day typically finds employees distracted, absent or doing things that require extra HR scrutiny. Head off problems by anticipating them and clarifying your policies.

Trade Secrets

12/06/2013

HR Law 101: There are two important reasons you need to protect your company’s trade secrets: (1) You make it less likely that confidential information will be misappropriated. (2) It will be easier for you to seek relief in court if your secrets are stolen …  

         

From locker room to boardroom, NFL scandal heightens bullying awareness

12/05/2013
Thanks to several high-profile news stories lately, your employees are becoming more aware of the pervasiveness of workplace bullying—plus the potential legal options that bullied workers can take. What does this mean for HR?