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HR Management

Imperial Sugar refinery blast was preventable, agency says

04/21/2008
U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board member William Wright believes better housekeeping could have prevented the explosion at the Imperial Sugar plant in Port Wentworth that killed 12 workers in February …

Cops: Man seeks revenge, kills 2 employees, bystander

04/21/2008
Police say Charles Johnston went to Doctors Hospital in Columbus on March 28 armed with guns stuffed into his coat and pants pockets, looking for nurse Peter Wright …

Is the term ‘probationary period’ dangerous?

04/18/2008
Q. Our existing employee handbook includes a probationary period for newly hired employees. In revising the handbook, should we consider omitting this provision due to the possibility that we could be altering the at-will employment relationship?

To pay or not to pay summer interns

04/18/2008
Q. Our company is considering hiring student interns this summer. Are we required to pay them under California law? …

The HR I.Q. Test: May ’08

04/17/2008
Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz …

You don’t have to pay for all employee training

04/15/2008

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to compensate employees for any time spent on the job that benefits the employer. There are, however, some exceptions. For example, if employees use their own time to study materials that will qualify them for promotions, that time generally doesn’t have to be paid.

Hey … you! 7 Ways to Recall a Name

04/15/2008
As an HR pro, you probably have more personal interactions with employees than anyone else in your organization. Let’s face it: They all know who you are. Do you know who they are? If too often the face looks familiar but you can’t place the name, try these seven tips for remembering.

Ag-Mart settles with parents in insecticide lawsuit

04/14/2008
Ag-Mart Produce, a Plant City-based tomato grower, has settled a lawsuit with a farm-working couple whose baby was born without limbs. The settlement terms were undisclosed. Francisca Herrera and Abraham Candelario testified that they worked in Ag-Mart fields in Florida and North Carolina in 2004 …

House passes bill allowing guns in workplace parking lots

04/14/2008
The Florida House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting employers from banning guns from their properties. HB 503 guarantees employees the right to keep legally owned guns locked inside their cars as long as they have permits to carry concealed weapons …

Get ahead of the curve by offering anti-Gay bias training

04/14/2008
Even though Florida’s Civil Rights Act does not outlaw sexual orientation bias, employers must still comply with local ordinances that do. And employers also should prepare to comply with potential changes in federal laws. Incorporating anti-gay bias training into your regular anti-discrimination training carries a number of benefits …