HR Management

The HR I.Q. Test: July ’13

07/02/2013

Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz.

Don’t let compassion for staff consume you

07/01/2013

You were probably attracted to HR because you want to help people. It’s in your nature to do so. But be careful not to become too attached to helping employees. It could actually hurt your career.

If it’s carefully crafted, you can make an arbitration agreement stick

06/27/2013

Good news for employers that want to settle employment-related disputes through arbitration instead of risking a jury trial. The Court of Appeal of California has upheld an arbitration agreement that was presented to all employees when they were hired.

Keep all lawsuit settlements confidential!

06/27/2013

Here’s an important warning for employers that end discrimination or harassment lawsuits with settlement agreements that include a confidentiality clause: Keep those terms confidential and accessible only to those who absolutely need to know. Otherwise, you could wind up facing a retaliation lawsuit if word of the settlement leaks out …

Insist that workers follow internal grievance process

06/26/2013

Do you require employees to use an internal grievance policy when they have a complaint about working conditions? That policy may apply to retaliation claims too, even if the employee has been fired. Failing to use the process may cancel the right to sue.

Create–and enforce–policy requiring honesty

06/26/2013

Employers want honest employees who don’t lie, cheat or steal. To encourage honesty, be sure your company has a policy requiring honesty. That way, it’s easy to terminate someone you believe has acted dishonorably.

Slackers can be a drag on any kind of enterprise

06/24/2013

A recent performance review described a talented but frustrating worker as the organization’s “most difficult.” Among many faults, bosses zeroed in on these:

Court: If interns perform work, pay them!

06/19/2013

A New York case with a Hollywood connection is a timely reminder that, in almost all cases, employers must pay interns, no matter how menial their work is.

Social media users may be most productive workers

06/18/2013

Call center employees who participated in five or more social networking sites had a 1.6% higher sales conversion rate than their co-workers and spent 2.8% less time per call, according to a survey by data analytics firm Evolv.

4 keys for legally managing absenteeism

06/14/2013

The costs of absenteeism—in lost production, overtime and temp replacements for the absent worker—can add up quickly. Combat absenteeism with a clear policy, careful documentation and consistent discipline.