HR Management

Top management wants to ax ‘troublemaker’? Beware wrongful termination retaliation

07/01/2012

There are some things employers just can’t do, no matter what a senior manager may want. For example, you can’t punish a good employee for pointing out potential legal violations.

OSHA inspector’s drive-by results in six-figure fine

06/28/2012

A random coincidence has resulted in a costly fine for a Lancaster County construction firm. OSHA cited Quality Stone Veneers for eight safety violations after an OSHA inspector noticed substandard scaffolding when he drove by a residential construction site.

Football-themed safety incentives cut accidents

06/28/2012

Coal miners, supervisors and mine-safety directors who participated in Massey Energy’s football-themed safety contest cut loss-time accidents at the West Virginia coal company by 47% in just one year. The company estimates it reduced the cost of lost-time accidents by $5 million.

Charlotte Cintas becomes NCOSHA safety ‘Star’

06/27/2012

Cintas Uniform’s Charlotte facility has been named recipient of the North Carolina Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Voluntary Protection Program’s Star Award. It’s North Carolina’s highest recognition for exemplary occupational safety and health practices.

Judge fed up with All-Feed in OSHA inspection case

06/25/2012

A federal judge has cited Alpha-based All-Feed Processing & Packaging Inc. for contempt after it refused to allow OSHA inspectors full access to its Galva facility.

A ‘sledgehammer’ to social media policies

06/22/2012

Even if you included a new social media policy in your employee handbook recently, it’s time to review it again. The NLRB issued a report recently that called into question the legality of some of the wording employers commonly use in their social media policies.

How far must we go to accommodate employees’ unusual religious beliefs?

06/20/2012

Q. We have an employee who claims to be a witch. She contends that witchcraft is her religion and has asked for certain holidays off. Are we required to accommodate this employee’s request?

8 flex trends that will affect your company

06/18/2012

As more organizations allow employees to adjust their schedules and telework, it puts pressure on other employers to offer the same flexibility—or lose out when it comes to recruiting and retaining quality workers. A recent study of employers’ workplace flexibiliity practices uncovered eight trends you need to understand.

Lessons from GSA scandal: Incentives require proper management

06/15/2012

If we’ve learned anything from the recent GSA scandal involving a lavish Las Vegas convention and expensive gifts to employees, it’s that not every kind of incentive program is justifiable. Follow these eight steps to create an incentive program that appropriately promotes your performance goals:

7 ways to limit your social media liability

06/14/2012

Online social networking sites provide a variety of benefits to organizations. They can help you collect industry-based knowledge, reach new customers, build your brand and publicize your company’s name and reputation. But those benefits come with their fair share of legal risks. You need a comprehensive social media policy to guide employees on your expectations about their online behavior.