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HR Management

Cyber Monday is looming: Recirculate your online policy

10/26/2012
Cyber Monday, the online version of deal-hunting Black Friday, is Nov. 26. Last holiday season, 50% of people said they spent time shopping online at work. Clarify your expectations and company policy with employees before the holidays begin.

What are California’s requirements for providing sexual harassment training?

10/22/2012

Q. We know that we are required to conduct sexual harassment training for our employees. But we’re not sure which of our employees we are required to train and what formats we can use to provide the training.

New state law limits access to employee social media info

10/22/2012
Starting Jan. 1, California employers may no longer require or request employees or job applicants to reveal their social media user names, passwords or other account information.

Is this asking for trouble? Our sick policy requires a doctor’s note containing a diagnosis

10/18/2012
Q. Our policy states employees must provide a doctor’s note if they take sick leave of three or more days. Are we violating any laws by demanding the doctor’s note, which includes a diagnosis?

‘Flex’ benefits business, not just employees

10/16/2012
Flex is becoming as coveted by businesses as it is by employees. Organizations, it seems, need as much flexibility when it comes to staffing as employees do when it comes to balancing work with personal commitments. Here are seven ways your organi­zation can benefit as much as its employees do from offering time-and-place flexibility.

Beat retaliation suit with good HR records

10/15/2012

Employees who suspect they are facing discipline sometimes think they can stop the process by complaining about some form of alleged discrimination. At the very least, they reason, they can claim they suffered retaliation for reporting discrimination. Smart employers keep careful rec­­ords showing the internal timeline for all employment decisions.

Half of firms delaying decisions until after election

10/15/2012
Is your organization putting off major decisions—whether to add or reduce staff, make a major investment, etc.—until after the Nov. 6 election? If so, you’re not alone.

How long should an agency investigation take?

10/12/2012

Q. A discrimination charge was filed against my company almost two years ago. We responded to the charge and provided the requested information. We haven’t heard anything for more than 18 months. My boss is worried and wants the process over with. Should I try to find out what’s going on, or just leave it alone?

How should I handle a rude investigator?

10/12/2012

Q. I’m dealing with an enforcement agency investigator who is really rude. She accuses me of hiding information, threatens to subpoena information and says things like, “I know all about your company and how it treats minorities.” She’s been calling my managers at home and demanding that they answer questions. What do I do? Am I going to make things worse if I complain about her behavior?

Should we take up the EEOC on its offer to mediate a complaint?

10/12/2012
Q. The EEOC wants us to participate in mediation. Should we? If we don’t, will it make the investigator think we’re trying to hide something?