• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

HR Management

Worker, boss broke same rule? Punish them equally

09/21/2011
Here’s a case that shows how not to handle a discharge based on alleged wrongdoing on the part of a super­visor and his subordinate.

End the silence: The case against secret salaries

09/21/2011

It’s a golden rule in most businesses: Salaries must be kept secret. It’s almost universally accepted that mayhem would ensue in the workplace if people knew what their co-workers, their managers or—gasp—the CEO was making. Three major reasons why secret salaries are silly, according to consultant Alexander Kjerulf:

Case study: 5 signs that an HR director is in trouble

09/20/2011
Perhaps the biggest reason why Pfizer CEO Jeff Kindler was pushed out of his job last year was that he trusted the wrong person to serve as the HR director. Here are five signs that an HR chief is trouble—and they’re not just unique to Pfizer:

7 steps to help prevent and address workplace bullying

09/16/2011
We all knew schoolyard bullies, and, if we were lucky, they left us alone. Sadly, research indicates many workers are targets of “workyard” bullies. And workplace bullying comes with significant costs.

Returning soldiers must follow your policies

09/16/2011

Soldiers who take military leave for active service or training are generally entitled to return to their jobs when they finish their military service. They even have protection from being terminated without cause if they served long enough. But USERRA does not protect employees who fail to follow existing company rules when they return or try to return.

10 shortcuts for your BlackBerry

09/16/2011
With tons of undiscovered shortcuts, your BlackBerry is master of productivity. Use the following 10 tips to get more done in less time:

Piercings, bad breath and tattoos, oh my!

09/14/2011
A new CareerBuilder survey asked 2,800 employers which personal attributes would make an employee less appealing for a promotion. Top of the list: piercings, followed by bad breath, visible tattoos, wrinkled clothes, messy hair.

HR’s smartest move: Align with the CFO

09/13/2011

Corporate pressures now call for closer ties between HR and top finance. Winning the CFO as an ally can help earn funding for HR projects, and your strategy smarts will draw attention. Take steps to cultivate the relationships and learn the numbers he or she thrives on.

How to recoup training costs when new employee quits

09/13/2011

It’s expensive to train employees, especially if the job is highly specialized. Smart employers protect their investments by having new employees sign an agreement to repay training costs if they leave soon after receiving the valuable benefit. Here’s how to recoup those costs.

Managing ‘job creep’ in today’s jobless recovery

09/13/2011
More than half of all employees have taken on new roles during the eco­nomic downturn, according to a recent survey. That’s “job creep,” and it’s a big problem, with important employment law implications. It may already be hurting your company. Here’s how to fix it.