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HR Management

To catch a thief: First document suspicion, then respond evenhandedly

06/14/2011

Employee theft is a big problem for some employers. Even so, don’t make the mistake of accusing someone unless you have solid evidence he or she is the culprit. Instead, document your suspicions and consider whether to call police or conduct your own investigation. Then, if possible, try to catch the thief in the act.

State Attorney General seeks workers’ comp records for prison

06/10/2011
Attorney General Lisa Madison has ordered Central Management Services (CMS), the state agency that processes workers’ compensation payments, to turn over records relating to 230 claims from correctional officers at Menard State Prison. The claims cover repetitive stress injuries allegedly linked to the locking mechanisms on the cells at the prison.

When misbehavior demands termination, it’s best to stick with one reason for firing

06/10/2011
Here’s an important reminder to heed when you must discipline employees: If an employee commits a major rule violation that justifies termination, rely on that reason alone. Resist the temptation to pile on additional reasons. It may make defending a lawsuit that much easier.

5 ways to ease employees’ pain from high gas prices

06/10/2011
With gas prices bouncing around near the $4-per-gallon mark, some employers are looking again at ways to help employees keep their tanks filled—or at least get to work each day. Here are some options for you and your employees:

Tap into new online portal for I-9 resources

06/09/2011
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services last month unveiled I-9 Central, a new online resource center that pulls together all the agency’s information and advice about Form I-9, Employee Eligibility Verification.

What can we do to protect ourselves? A worker leveled threats after we fired him

06/08/2011
Q. We recently fired an employee because of insubordination and anger-management issues. The termination meeting, not surprisingly, didn’t go well and the employee became very agitated. He made some statements that could be interpreted as vague threats against his supervisor and our company. Is there anything we can or should do to protect ourselves from this former employee?

Court upholds $40 million verdict for Xcel lineman

06/08/2011
A lineman for Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy will collect $40 million from Qwest Telephone as a result of a 2004 accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Fight unemployment benefits if employee quits because of unsubstantiated safety fears

06/08/2011
An employee who reports a serious safety hazard and stops coming to work after the employer refuses to fix the hazard may collect unemployment benefits. But that’s not true if the employee doesn’t give the employer a chance to remedy the problem and just quits out of fear.

Applicant shortage? Blame North Dakota

06/08/2011

Minnesota employers may be finding fewer qualified applicants to fill their available job openings. The labor shortage isn’t because the state’s economy is suddenly booming again. It’s because employers in neighboring North Dakota are dipping into the Minnesota talent pool.

Hire education: Your step-by-step guide to legal hiring practices

06/07/2011
Employers operate in an increasingly complex legal environment, made all the more difficult by the tough economy. Hiring has emerged as a particular trouble spot. Here are the key liability hot spots you must watch out for in the hiring process.