Policies / Handbooks

When firing employees, take reasonable security measures

12/24/2009

Some employees get mad when they learn they’re being terminated. Some may even try to abscond with valuable company property or records as a way to retaliate for losing their jobs. That’s why employers should take reasonable measures to protect records and property—even if that means escorting the fired employee out of the building and preventing access to work spaces and equipment.

Bonuses at high school sports governing body violate policy

12/24/2009

The tax-exempt North Carolina High School Athletic Association apparently violated University of North Carolina policy when it paid bonuses to its managers. The association administers high school sports throughout the state. From 1999 to 2008, the association paid out $239,133 in bonuses to managers and $7,820 to nonmanagement staff. The employees won’t have to return the money.

HR’s New Year’s resolutions: The top 10 to-do’s in 2010

12/23/2009

As you gear up for a new year, here are some key to-do’s that will minimize the risk of lawsuits: Make sure your company has considered how a potential flu pandemic could affect your operations … Get to know GINA … Keep an eye on the feds … Beware hasty terminations … Watch wage-and-hour issues … Make the ADA interactive … Focus on union issues … Manage social media …

Keep the faith: You can accommodate religions in the workplace

12/15/2009

Two employees ask their boss to ax the company Christmas tree. A worker refuses to trim his dreadlocks, saying they are essential to his practice of Rastafari. A cashier insists she has a right to tell customers, “Have a blessed day.” Those cases have all wound up being tried in court. Employers can’t treat employees differently because of their religion, but that doesn’t mean religious accommodation is easy.

Supreme Court to decide: Are employees’ personal text messages private?

12/15/2009

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear a case that could settle the contentious issue of whether employers have a right to read personal text messages employees send using employer-provided equipment and bandwidth. It’s yet another bump in the evolving landscape of employee use of technology at work (the topic, by the way, of this week’s HR Specialist webinar, "Employees Online: Social Media at Work").

What to do when execs undermine your HR policies

12/10/2009

Q. “For years, we’ve granted two employees—a married couple—extra unpaid leave for vacations. We recently notified employees that additional time off would no longer be given. But the owner sees no problem making an exception for this couple, even while other employees have to live with the new rule. How should I handle this?” Readers of The HR Specialist Forum weighed in with answers:

Do you need a ‘no forwarding’ e-mail policy?

12/09/2009

Here’s a potential electronic communications problem you may not have considered. An employee who forwards e-mail from a company computer and e-mail account to his personal address may end up using those e-mails later in litigation against the company. That’s one reason it makes sense to prohibit employees from forwarding e-mails to their personal e-mail accounts.

Can we prohibit employees from receiving private packages at work?

12/09/2009

Q. Over the holidays, many of our employees received packages at the office. We are worried that this might be a disruption. Should we ban employees from receiving personal packages at work?

Is the U.S. workplace becoming more rude, raunchy?

12/08/2009

Boorish behavior and vulgar words are on the rise in U.S. workplaces. In fact, 38% of women say they’ve heard inappropriate sexual innuendoes and taunts in the workplace—up from 22% the year before. Such behavior can crush morale and increase turnover. Advice: Adopt a civility policy separate from your harassment policy.

Make sure your e-communication policy covers social networks