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HR Management

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” …

Proving the ROI of wellness programs just got easier

11/24/2011

Every employer seems to be jumping on the wellness bandwagon in an effort to curb health care costs. But it’s always been hard for HR to prove its wellness investment is worth it. Reason: the inability to nail down a return on investment (ROI) on wellness programs. Now, a host of new approaches and tools have come to the rescue.

12 tips to scare off Ghosts of Christmas Parties Past

11/24/2011
Every year around this time, the Ghost of Christmas Parties Past comes clanking down the hallway, dragging in its wake a chain of dread for employers and employees alike. Here’s advice on hosting a fun—yet legally safe—party this year:

Is it OK to use SSNs as ID numbers?

11/23/2011
Q. A few employees have complained that we use their Social Security numbers (SSNs) as their ID numbers. They’re concerned about identity theft. Is it legal to use Social Security numbers for ID purposes?