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

HR Management

Let’s talk politics (or not): Regulating political expression at work

07/29/2024
The run-up to a national or local election can spark heated debate around the watercooler. That can cause distractions, disputes—and, in some cases, lawsuits. You have the legal right to control employees’ activities on the job. That includes putting a stop to political activism or political solicitations at work.

Filing cabinet cleanup: Set up 4 folders per employee

07/29/2024
Too many HR files consist of fat folders, organized one per employee, with the most recent documentation at the front and everything dating back to Day One behind it. You can and must do better. Federal and state laws require employers to keep separate files for a variety of employee records.

Beyond the punchline: Create a culture of appropriate humor

07/24/2024
When used correctly, humor can lighten the mood, build relationships and even increase job satisfaction. However, it’s essential to strike the right balance to avoid potential pitfalls. Here are some key strategies for fostering an environment where humor is appropriate and beneficial.

Surviving the 2024 election with your workplace intact

07/22/2024
At the recent SHRM Conference, workplace behavior expert Dr. Dennis Davis of Ogletree Deakins and nationally recognized employment lawyer Joe Beachboard of Beachboard Consulting discussed critical issues associated with employee expression from legal and psychological standpoints. They also offered guidance to help organizations cope with the coming elections.

Percentage of remote workers held steady in 2023 at 35%

07/22/2024
Remote work appears to be here to stay, according to a new analysis by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Its latest American Time Use Survey found that 35% of employed people did some or all of their work at home in 2023, up slightly from 34% in 2022.

How does your HR-to-employee ratio measure up?

07/22/2024
A report from payroll-processing giant ADP says American employers had 2.6 HR staffers for every 100 employees at the end of 2023. That’s up 11% since 2018, when the ratio was 2.35 per 100.

Natty dread: Avoid grooming rules that ban religious hairstyles

07/19/2024
Last year’s blockbuster Supreme Court opinion in Groff v. DeJoy required employers to accommodate almost all religious accommodations requested by employees. However, it’s clear that many employers haven’t yet revamped their policies in light of the ruling—and that’s triggering a flurry of EEOC complaints and religious-discrimination lawsuits.

Experts convene at SHRM: Here’s what they had to say

07/17/2024
In late June, human resource executives and leaders gathered in Chicago for the Society of Human Resource Management Annual Conference and Expo. With hundreds of sessions hosted over four days, we gathered some of the top advice that speakers presented to the 25,000 attendees.

EEOC adds first-ever chief AI officer

07/17/2024
In a sign that the EEOC is taking artificial intelligence in human resource management seriously, the agency has created and filled a new position—chief AI officer.

A storm is headed straight for HR

07/17/2024
Are you aware of the term “polycrisis”? Johnny Taylor, SHRM president and CEO, describes it as when multiple concurrent problems strike at once. And in the opening session of SHRM’s June Annual Conference and Expo, he told attendees that this phenomenon is headed straight for HR.