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HR Management

Sometimes it’s best to settle drawn-out cases

09/10/2013
Some lawsuits seem to drag on forever, especially when an em­­ployee’s lawyers endlessly demand access to company documents. Settling those cases for a modest sum may be the best approach if l­itigation is taking over and HR is so busy responding to discovery requests it can’t get other work done.

Your best bet for beating false allegations: Good records, consistently fair practices

09/10/2013
You can never predict which employee will sue and over what alleged wrong. That’s why the best approach is to focus on treating every employee fairly and consistently, applying your rules even-handedly.

Steps you should take to derail the FMLA leave abuse train

09/09/2013
Employers face several common struggles when employees take FMLA leave, but there are ways to combat FMLA abuse in the workplace.

Behind the wheel: Why you need an anti-distracted driving policy

09/06/2013
Many states have laws against texting or talking on cellphones while driving. Absent a clear, tough, enforced policy against distracted driving, employers risk losing millions of dollars in jury verdicts—and contribute to crippling and fatal carnage on the road. You need a clear policy: Employees may not use mobile devices while driving on company business.

Make arbitration agreements stick–even if there’s no employee signature

09/06/2013
If you use arbitration as a way to resolve employment disputes, you no doubt realize that you need the employee’s signature on that agreement in order to make it a binding contract. But what happens if that signature isn’t there or perhaps was faked?

Know the right way to request FMLA certification, fitness-for-duty notices

09/06/2013
When employees have a serious health condition that qualifies them for FMLA leave, employers have the right to some basic information. But you have to ask for it in the right way and at the right time.

This is NPR HR: 3 ways to rebuild & rebrand your culture

09/06/2013
Whether we represent a start-up or an organization that’s over 100 years old, HR professionals must stay aware of the ways in which their organization’s culture is changing, says Jeff Perkins, Chief People Officer, National Public Radio.

After hours: 5 rules for regulating employee moonlighting

09/05/2013
With the rise of the gig economy, some of your employees may have started a side hustle to bring in extra income. If an employee’s second job leads to working long hours, exhaustion could lower his or her productivity, and in some cases it could create liability for you.

Can we ban off-premise, lunch-break sports?

09/04/2013
Q. Two employees got into a fight while on their lunch break. They were playing soccer in an open lot off premises and wearing their company uniforms. The vice president reacted by banning employees from playing any sports during their lunch break—on the premises or off … Can the VP dictate what employees can do on unpaid time?

When does a voluntary wellness program become involuntary?

09/03/2013
At what point is the financial incentive to participate in a wellness program or the penalty for nonparticipation so great as to render it involuntary? Per­­haps more to the point, how does the EEOC define that tipping point?