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

HR Management

4 steps for implementing a variable pay program

10/26/2010
Making variable pay work requires lots of interaction throughout the organization before, during and after implementation. As the business unit most likely in charge of implementation, it’s up to HR to make sure that happens. Here’s how to do it.

7 tips for reducing your workers’ comp costs

10/26/2010

Employers can significantly reduce the cost of their workers’ compensation premiums by following a program of accident prevention, better claims management and prevention of fraud and abuse. These seven tips point the way.

Abercrombie case highlights risk of electronic I-9 systems

10/25/2010
Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch paid a $1.05 million fine to the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement last month after ICE cited numerous technology-related problems with the company’s electronic I-9 system.

Comp and benefits to the fore in retaining great staff

10/25/2010
Of all of HR’s priorities, keeping good employees is on top. You can be a hero in the post-recession years ahead. Act like one: Be brave enough to communicate the truth to both employees and to company execs. Assert your key role by trying the following:

Can we talk? How to tackle tough disciplinary conversations

10/19/2010

Managers often have to confront “challenging” employees who, while typically good at their jobs, too often display unprofessional or downright obnoxious behavior. The best way to tackle such problems is to meet with employees right when you spot the problem behavior. Here’s how to do so in a way that protects the organization from employee claims that they weren’t treated fairly.

Employees blog, tweet about products? Beware new risk

10/19/2010
If you have employees preaching about your products or services via blogs, Twitter or other social networking sites, beware a hidden risk. The FTC has issued new Enforcement Guidelines that require employees to disclose their relationships with their employer whenever they post comments or positive reviews about their employer’s product on a social media site.

N.C. firm posts 178% ROI by putting benefits online

10/19/2010

Raleigh, N.C.-based Morganite Industries has reaped a 178% return on the investment it made to put its benefits enrollment, communication and data exchange online. It took only seven months for the 2,500-employee organization—which provides tax, benefits, health, safety and financial services for its parent company, Morgan Crucible—to recoup its initial investment.

Mopey workers? 8 ways to snap ’em out of it

10/18/2010

The economy isn’t the only thing that’s in a slump these days. Plenty of workers are in the doldrums, too. They feel stuck in their jobs because new ones are hard to come by. They can’t afford to retire. So they’re not performing as well as employees who look at their jobs as labors of love. Here’s how HR can help get them back on track.

OSHA gives Texas company 1.2 million reasons to record employee injuries, illnesses

10/18/2010
If you shrug off your injury record-keeping duties, consider this recent case study: OSHA last month cited a Houston manufacturer with 83 willful violations for “hiding” work-related injuries and illnesses at the company. The proposed fines: $1.2 million.

How should we structure an anti-nepotism policy?

10/15/2010
Q. To prevent productivity and morale problems, we would like to adopt a policy banning the hiring of our current employees’ spouses. Would this be lawful?