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HR Management

Stamp out harassing behavior across the company

02/12/2009

When it comes to hateful and discriminatory speech and behavior, it makes no difference whether the conduct happens in the boardroom or on the factory floor. That’s why you should train everyone—from those in the executive suite to those working in the field—on your harassment policy.

2 Ohio companies make Fortune ‘best’ list

02/12/2009

Two Ohio companies have made the 2009 Fortune magazine “100 Best Companies to Work For” list: Southern Ohio Medical Center, headquartered in Portsmouth, and OhioHealth, based in Columbus.

Attorney General’s office settles sex harassment claims

02/12/2009

Two women who filed lawsuits alleging they were sexually harassed while working for former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann have settled their legal claims. Current Attorney General Richard Cordray announced that the agency had settled the women’s claims for $247,000 each, including attorneys’ fees.

Handbooks 101: 4 guidelines to follow, 5 policies to include

02/12/2009

Each year, new employment laws go on the books and courts write thousands upon thousands of decisions interpreting old laws. Yet, year after year, many HR professionals reach up onto a dusty shelf to hand new employees the same old employee handbook someone wrote years ago—too often without a second of consideration whether the contents still pass legal muster.

Preach zero tolerance for any harassment

02/12/2009

Employers are responsible if they know or have reason to know about a hostile work environment created by employees and do nothing to fix it. As a practical matter, what employers hear and see may be just the tip of the iceberg. Smart employers immediately attempt to get the whole picture and then correct the harassing behavior.

Remind supervisors to immediately report offensive graffiti, and then remove it

02/12/2009

Graffiti usually appears where the author is least likely to be caught creating it. Popular workplace spots are lavatories and work site portable toilets. And offensive graffiti can create an almost instantly hostile work environment. That’s why HR should remind supervisors to immediately report any graffiti—no matter where they find it.

Last-chance agreements put employers on sure footing

02/12/2009

If you offer last-chance agreements instead of immediately firing employees, you can impose seemingly draconian measures without worrying about a lawsuit. If you later terminate an employee for violating agreement terms, most courts will take your side.

Show you are serious about workplace safety

02/12/2009

You can and should punish employees who refuse to play by company safety rules. You’ll probably win any workplace injury case if you can show that the accident would never have occurred if the employee had followed the rules.

OSHA fines WBG Construction

02/12/2009

OSHA has fined WBG Construction, based in Wesley Chapel, for seven safety violations at two of the company’s locations. The agency said the violations exposed employees to potential injury or even death. The fines total $119,000.

Whistle-blower law insulates noncomplaining workers, too

02/12/2009

When two workers complained to two co-workers that their employer wasn’t providing protective gear while they installed insulation, it started a chain of events that led to their firings.