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HR Management

Safety trumps bias claim in case of ‘no skirts’ rule

04/16/2012
One of the few times you can overrule an employee’s religious accommodation requests is when safety is involved, as the following case shows.

Must we honor an attorney’s request for our employee’s personnel records?

04/12/2012
Q. We recently received a letter from an attorney representing one of our employees. It requested “all personnel files and records, including all medical ­rec­ords” that we have on this employee. The letter contained an “authorization” that the employee had signed, but which did not specifically name our company. Do we have to provide this information? What if we don’t? And is there any risk to the company if we do provide it?

Federal computer law doesn’t cover misuse of trade secrets

04/12/2012
The federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) doesn’t grant employers any legal recourse if an employee misuses information obtained from company computers, according to a recent Minnesota Federal District Court ruling.

OSHA publishes new hazard communication standards

04/12/2012
OSHA has updated its hazard communication standard to harmonize it with international standards. Com­­panies that manufacture, transport or have chemicals in the workplace must begin complying with the new standard by June 26.

Consider offering long-term care insurance

04/12/2012
As baby boomer workers grow older and employees of all ages worry about their economic security, it might be time to consider offering long-term care insurance as a voluntary benefit. More employers are, even as the number of carriers offering the insurance shrinks.

Add etiquette to employee expectations, please

04/10/2012
If you worry that the personal habits and behavior of your employees—particularly new hires, fresh out of school—might be holding them back (and re­­flect­­ing poorly on your organization), try these tips for reinforcing business etiquette.

Troy manufacturer charged with 55 safety violations

04/09/2012
OSHA has cited Troy-based welding equipment manufacturer Hobart Brothers Co. with 55 safety violations totaling $174,600 in fines.

Employee training: When must it be paid?

04/09/2012
If you offer extra off-duty training to your hourly employees, pay extra attention to the rules that explain when those hours must be “paid time.” In most cases it will, but the Fair Labor Standards Act does give you a four-step ladder to climb to a pay exemption.

HR, one of ‘best U.S. jobs,’ to grow fast this decade

04/06/2012

As the economy goes, so goes HR. That’s the word from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which estimates that the number of HR specialist positions will grow by 28.3% between 2010 and 2020. “This is expected to be a rapid-growth field as the economy continues to recover from the recession,” according to U.S. News and World Report.

Social media at work: Necessary, annoying or both?

04/05/2012
A recent poll by staffing firm Manpower asked HR professionals what one word they’d use to describe social media in today’s workplace. The most frequent response? Necessary.