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HR Management

Leave shameful history in the past: Warn bosses against any reference to nooses

12/02/2011
Objects can become powerful symbols. That’s certainly true of nooses, which black Americans see as infamous reminders of a past in which lynchings were relatively common, especially in the South. That’s why you must instruct supervisors and managers: Any reference to hanging, ropes or nooses is absolutely forbidden in the workplace.

The HR I.Q. Test: December ’11

12/02/2011
Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, compensation and benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz.

5 tips to cut flab from your business writing

12/01/2011

In business writing, you don’t receive extra credit for slathering your sentences with fancy phrases, the way you did in college. Do that in a memo or e-mail, and you can expect eyes to glaze over. Here are five “less is more” tips for writing more effectively at work.

Penn State case: Would you have called police?

12/01/2011
In light of the highly publicized scandal at Penn State University, one HR lesson is obvious: Employers can never ignore reports of misconduct or harassment by employees against anyone. But at what point does harassment cross the line into something more seri­­ous (like assault) that requires an employer to call the police?

Time to revamp policies banning guns in parking lots

11/30/2011
Many employers have workplace violence policies that prohibit em­­ployees from possessing firearms in or around the workplace. They’ll have to rethink those policies, now that Texas has a new law that limits most em­­ployers’ right to bar employees from having firearms in vehicles parked at em­­ployers’ parking areas.

Harassment: How to stop it before–and after–it starts

11/30/2011
Protect your organization from harassment lawsuits by focusing your attention on both preventive and corrective measures. Give every employee a copy of your anti-harassment policy. Train everyone to ensure they understand their rights and responsibilities.

After hours: How to regulate employees’ off-duty behavior

11/29/2011
Employers can regulate what employees do away from work—but only within narrow limits. There are often good reasons to. Some off-duty acts reflect poorly on employers, raise insurance costs and create conflicts of interest. Here’s how to make the call.

Cupid in the workplace: You can terminate supervisor for lying about personal relationship

11/28/2011
What if you suspect a supervisor/subordinate relationship, but the two people deny it? You probably can’t do anything more than reiterate your workplace rule against it. If it turns out the supervisor lied, you can certainly terminate him or her—both for breaking the rule and then lying about it.

Can we collect employee cellphones at the door?

11/25/2011
Q. We’ve had it with all the texting and social networking by employees when they’re supposed to be working. Can we just make them check their electronic devices at the door? Telling them to stop when we catch them isn’t working.

Your HR career: Think strategically to avoid being ‘outsourced’

11/24/2011
Issue: As outsourcing grows and gains popularity, you need to prove your value to the organization.
Benefit: Protect your job and build a reputation as a “big-picture” …