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Policies / Handbooks

Follow 5 steps to make sure new GINA law doesn’t trip you up

02/09/2010

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 was enacted in response to concerns that insurers and employers could use results of genetic testing to discriminate against applicants and employees. Covered employers should consider updating their employment policies and practices to comply with GINA’s many technical requirements.

‘Anonymous’ harassment: How to respond when harasser is faceless and nameless

02/09/2010

In some cases, employees are harassed via scrawled words on a wall, voice mail messages or some other shadowy act. You may never be able to pinpoint the culprit, but you must still do something. Begin by opening an investigation, just as you would for any other complaint. Then remind all employees about your anti-harassment policies.

Spring cleaning: Give employee handbook a thorough going-over

02/09/2010

Because employment laws and your business are in a constant state of flux, it’s critical to keep your personnel policies up-to-date. As spring approaches, one item on every HR professional’s spring cleaning list should be a review of the organization’s employee handbook. In light of recent legal changes, be sure your policies include these updates:

Is English-only OK? We can’t understand what Hispanic workers are talking about

02/09/2010

Q. We have a number of Spanish-speaking employees. We can’t tell, but we suspect they sometimes make inappropriate comments in Spanish about our clients and other employees. Can we require these employees to speak only English when at work?

How can you rein in rogue ‘early clockers’?

02/05/2010

Do you have employees who clock in before their shift starts, then stand around drinking coffee for a half-hour? How can you cut down on this “on-the-clock-but-standing-around” time? …

Sued? Consider impact of treating co-workers poorly

02/01/2010

One unhappy employee may not have much of an effect on your organization, even if she sues. But watch out! Handle the lawsuit poorly and you could see litigation grow as co-workers join in.

Drafting an auto-use policy? Here’s a crash course

01/25/2010

If your employees travel on company business, use company cars or rent cars for business, make sure you have an auto-use policy that makes it clear that zany antics, such as one employee’s 600-mile detour to Dixie, fall outside the scope of employment …

Company Records: What to Keep, What to Dump

01/25/2010
A records retention schedule ensures that an organization keeps the records it needs for operational, legal, fiscal or historical reasons, and then destroys them when they’re no longer useful. You may base your records retention schedule on your own experience and research of legal mandates or on what other companies are doing. Whatever your method, […]

How should we prohibit texting while driving?

01/22/2010

Q. I saw in the paper last week that texting while driving is no longer allowed in North Carolina. Should my company have a policy regarding this?

Checking up on sick workers: The 6 do’s and don’ts

01/18/2010
You probably don’t check up on most employees who call in sick because they do it infrequently and most likely are being truthful. However, every organization has its share of workers who abuse sick-leave policies. No state or federal laws regulate how employers can handle workers who call in sick. But beware: Going too far to ferret out shirkers could invite discrimination and harassment claims, and unnecessarily damage morale.