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HR Management

Can we prohibit employees from receiving private packages at work?

12/09/2009

Q. Over the holidays, many of our employees received packages at the office. We are worried that this might be a disruption. Should we ban employees from receiving personal packages at work?

Warn managers: Don’t make assumptions about pregnant employee’s capabilities

12/08/2009

HR professionals must make sure that supervisors hear this message loud and clear: Don’t make any assumptions about what a pregnant woman can or cannot do. Voicing such presumptions and taking action based on them virtually guarantees a pregnancy discrimination lawsuit.

Ohio ranked as one of nation’s top business ‘go-to’ states

12/08/2009

Site Selection magazine—whose readers decide where to locate new corporate facilities—has ranked Ohio as having the third-best business climate in the nation, behind only North Carolina and Texas.

What are the new mandatory EEO postings?

12/08/2009

Q. I know that there have been some recently enacted changes to federal employment laws (the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act and the ADA Amendments Act, for example). How do these changes affect the required EEO postings for my business?

Make sure your e-communication policy covers social networks

12/08/2009

The widespread use of blogs and social networking web sites such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter has employers worried about what their employees are keyboarding and texting. Employers must develop electronic communications policies to cope with the new technology.

What are the pros and cons of doing Google searches on job applicants?

12/08/2009

Q. Currently, we don’t do any background investigations on job applicants. I’m considering instituting an informal background-screening program, whereby my HR director would conduct a Google search for every job applicant, in addition to looking at any Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace pages. I can’t imagine there’s any legal risk in researching information that is already publicly available on the Internet, right?

Is the U.S. workplace becoming more rude, raunchy?

12/08/2009

Boorish behavior and vulgar words are on the rise in U.S. workplaces. In fact, 38% of women say they’ve heard inappropriate sexual innuendoes and taunts in the workplace—up from 22% the year before. Such behavior can crush morale and increase turnover. Advice: Adopt a civility policy separate from your harassment policy.

Orlando shooter showed signs of depression before rampage

12/08/2009

In the weeks leading up to the Nov. 6 shootings at the offices of Reynolds, Smith & Hills in downtown Orlando—where one person was killed and five wounded—alleged gunman Jason Rodriguez had exhibited signs of deep depression, according to relatives.

OSHA cites Cincy painting firm for lead safety violations

12/08/2009

OSHA has levied $321,000 in fines against UCL Inc., a Cincinnati-based bridge and tower painting company. The fines stem from nine willful and two serious workplace safety violations related to lead exposure.

Medina company settles national-origin EEOC case

12/08/2009

Industrial fastener and tool manufacturer SFS Intec has agreed to settle an EEOC discrimination lawsuit arising at its Medina plant. Two Hispanic employees complained of being denied training opportunities that were open to non-Hispanics.