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Dow Chemical pays $861,647 in overtime for employee training

03/01/2008
The U.S. Labor Department has announced that Dow Chemical of Freeport paid $861,647 in back wages to 648 operating engineers as a result of a federal investigation …

Voluntary programs offer home, auto insurance discounts

03/01/2008

Employees can save between 5% and 20% on their home and car insurance if they buy it through your organization’s voluntary benefits program. That can be a welcome relief to an employee whose health insurance premiums are steadily increasing, and a way for employers to give workers a break on another necessary expense …

The HR I.Q. Test: March ’08

03/01/2008
Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz … 

Communication Corner: March ’08

03/01/2008
A collection of tips, advice and insight to help HR professionals ratchet up their persuasive powers …

If Presidential Candidates’ Pay Reflected Work Force Realities…

02/26/2008
As U.S. senators, front-running presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama each earn $169,300 per year. But what if pay rates in the Senate reflected demographic realities of the modern American work force? Then Clinton would make $130,361 a year, while Obama would earn $125,282.

Simple ways to salvage ‘Below-Standard’ employees

02/26/2008
Every manager has employees who perform below standard. They’re not terrible employees, but they’re not achieving the quality or quantity of work they’re capable of. Try these tips for letting underachieving employees know what’s expected and get them moving in the right direction.

10 Tips for Women With an Itch to Lead

02/19/2008
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Too hot to handle? Office romances need careful HR TLC

02/12/2008

Cupid’s arrow eventually flies into every workplace. Risks: Office romances can be disruptive and, even worse, open the door to legal problems. Action: Balance your need to reduce legal risks with a realistic view of employees’ lives. Stay away from trendy "love contracts."

The water cooler dies: Office gossip spreads faster online

02/05/2008

Gossip and nonwork chatter that spread via e-mail, instant messages (IMs) or texting can easily be captured and saved, possibly for a jury to see someday. The solution: Don’t let workplace-related gossip spread unfettered. Establish a reputation as an open-door HR department, and become a “news creator” rather than constantly responding with damage control to squash rumors …

Shoot down the legal threat from camera phones

02/05/2008

Cell phones with camera capabilities can expose your organization to legal problems: privacy claims, trade-secret vulnerabilities, employee theft and more. Used inappropriately, camera phones can violate employee and customer privacy. Your best action: Write, and consistently follow, a camera-phone policy and distribute it periodically.