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HR Management

Not every government e-mail is public record

11/01/2003
A Florida newspaper requested copies of all e-mails sent and received by two city workers. The city gave up only e-mail related to their government work. The newspaper sued to obtain …

Focus safety efforts on new hires; they’re more injury-prone

11/01/2003
Hammer home safety rules to new hires before they start. Don’t expect on-the-job experience to teach them the safety ropes.
Reason: New employees suffer the most says a new study …

Enlist employees’ help to win the health-cost battle

11/01/2003
Issue: Strong communication with employees is a vital part of controlling health care insurance costs.
Benefit: Employees who understand the forces driving up their premiums are more likely to play …

Start shopping around for cheaper life insurance

11/01/2003
If your organization offers life insurance benefits, now’s the time to start looking into new vendors. Reason: Premiums could decline up to 30 percent nationwide over the next few years, according …

How to measure the return on your training costs

11/01/2003
Issue: A solid return-on-investment (ROI) analysis helps your organization buy more for its training dollar. Benefit: ROI can help you prove, or disprove, that training is improving the bottom line. …

Outsource strategically; don’t follow the crowd

11/01/2003
Issue: More organizations are jumping into outsourcing, but many aren’t impressed with the results. Risk: Farming out the wrong functions can actually lower HR efficiency. Action: Determine which functions …

Brush up on dental benefits: DR plans growing

11/01/2003
Issue: Direct reimbursement (DR) dental plans are becoming more popular.
Benefit: DR plans can slash your dental-plan admin costs. You can even eliminate the middleman …

Immigration law: How to walk the line with the I-9

11/01/2003
THE LAW. The Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986 makes it your responsibility to hire only people who can legally work in the United States. That includes U.S. …

Personnel Files: How Separate Must They Be?

11/01/2003

Q. In a previous issue you said employers “must keep certain records separate from personnel files.” What, specifically, does “separate” mean—in separate drawers of the same file cabinet? In separate offices? How far apart do they need to be? —T.S., Illinois

It’s OK to discipline employees for public displays of affection

11/01/2003
If employees’ on-site amorous actions are making you or their co-workers uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to tell the lovebirds to withhold their romance for more private, off-premise moments. Courts will likely …