HR Management

Supreme Court starts new term; age-bias case tops slim HR agenda

10/01/2004

The U.S. Supreme Court opens its new session Oct. 4, but so far, employment issues are taking a back seat to cases ranging from juvenile executions to wine trading. Expect the …

Centralize job references to minimize exposure

10/01/2004

Q. Concerning writing reference letters, we have a few supervisors who think it’s OK to write them only for “good” employees. But our policy says supervisors can’t issue reference letters for any current or former employee. I’m having a hard time finding a reason that justifies our policy. Help! —P.T., South Dakota

Water-cooler politics: Limit trouble, but allow free speech

10/01/2004

John Kerry and George Bush aren’t the only people embroiled in political debates this month. So are some of your employees. And, with the country at war …

Will election result affect hiring? It depends on your industry

10/01/2004

While the presidential election outcome won’t likely change your competitors’ hiring plans, it could produce a small economic boost in certain industries, according to a new poll by outplacement consulting firm …

5 steps to help you take control of your workday

10/01/2004

Issue: How to succeed at work, stay sane and still get home on time. Benefit: By seizing control over your day, you boost your value to the organization and advance …

Don’t let a scheduling conflict prompt reservists’ discipline, firing

10/01/2004

Run supervisors through some basic training on strict
military-leave law. Why? More than 168,000 National Guard and reservists are currently on active duty and Congress is considering changes that would …

Juries punish rushed investigations; keep an open mind

10/01/2004

Issue: Following correct protocol when investigating harassment complaints. Risk: Courts will slap organizations with big punitive damage awards …

Tell managers never to show their cards before making hiring decision

09/01/2004

Now’s a good time to remind your hiring managers that they should never reveal to job candidates whom they plan to hire. They should provide only neutral comments until they’re ready …

Convey policy changes by paper, not e-mail

09/01/2004

When in doubt, print it out. That’s the message from a recent court decision regarding whether company policies sent via e-mail are valid.
Even though the Labor Department has given …

Include handheld devices in your computer-use policy

09/01/2004

Smart companies draft policies that dictate appropriate use of company PCs, e-mail and phones. But more than 80 percent of companies fail to establish policies on handheld devices like PDAs. Employees …