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

HR Management

Popularity of 401(k) plans continues to grow

02/01/2006

In the past two decades, 401(k) plans have become the dominant retirement plan offered by employers. In fact, 64 percent of plan sponsors responding to a recent Hewitt survey said a 401(k) accounts for their organization’s primary retirement-savings program …

Debt by 1,000 Paper Clips: Office-Supply Theft Rises

02/01/2006

Two-thirds of people responding to a Vault.com survey said they’ve taken office supplies from work, and a majority said they don’t consider it stealing …

Look to states, not Congress, for radical health care changes

02/01/2006

Employers and consumers alike have been wrestling with skyrocketing health care costs, with no end in sight. And while Congress has talked much about reforming the system, it’s been spinning its wheels for years. The same can’t be said for state legislatures, where lawmakers are actively passing laws to make coverage more affordable …

Increase your value by helping to spot rising managers

02/01/2006

Your unique vantage point in HR equips you to identify managers with the potential to become company leaders. By sharing your insights with top execs, you’ll help build organizational excellence and make yourself more valuable. Use these tips to alert top execs to possible future leaders they might be missing …

Include retail store clinics in your health care strategy

02/01/2006

More retail superstores are adding low-cost medical clinics to their in-store services. Employers can use these "doc-in-a-box" services for low-cost employee preventive and wellness care. Check to see if a local clinic is opening, then consider this as part of a cost-cutting solution, not a cure …

Pregnancy is no joking matter; ‘Prego’ is akin to a racial slur

02/01/2006

If your supervisors think little jokes about pregnancy and childbirth are nothing but harmless banter, set them straight. Use the following case to remind them that singling out pregnant employees is legally dangerous …

Keep ‘Customer Preference’ Out of Your Hiring Criteria

02/01/2006

Make sure your hiring managers understand that basing hiring decisions on the prejudices of your customer base is a sure way to land in court. Applicants’ race, age, sex or religion should always be irrelevant. Courts won’t be swayed by claims that customer preferences forced your hiring hand …

Use ‘Mini-Med’ Benefits to Cut Costs, Help Retain Staff

02/01/2006

Soaring health costs are forcing many small firms to shift more cost burden to employees or drop coverage. But be aware that many companies are taking a third option: offering a limited medical health insurance plan (or "mini med") that provides bare-bones health coverage …

Draft questions to predict young applicants’ true potential

01/01/2006

Hiring younger workers for entry-level and managerial-trainee jobs poses unique challenges. Because those applicants have little or no experience under their belts, interviewing requires special insights. To predict job success, focus on applicants’ maturity level by asking the right questions and looking for certain nonverbal cues …

8 steps to being an effective witness in court, depositions

01/01/2006
Many HR professionals (and most supervisors) aren’t prepared when called to serve as witnesses. One simple mistake can hurt your organization’s chances and damage your professional image. Use these eight tips to create practice sessions for yourself and other employees who serve as witnesses.