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Policies / Handbooks

Summer’s coming! It’s time to tune up your vacation policies

05/12/2009

With warmer weather on the way, it’s time to revisit your vacation policies—even as a new survey says Americans may be cutting back on vacation travel. Check your handbook against HR Specialist’s free sample vacation policy.

Florida Nordstrom employees win harassment settlement

05/11/2009

High-end retailer Nordstrom has settled an EEOC lawsuit alleging it allowed harassment of Hispanic and black employees at its Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington stores. Ten former employees will share in the $292,000 settlement.

After ARRA, how to handle gross misconduct and COBRA coverage

05/11/2009

In light of the enactment of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, employers have begun re-examining the cases of some employees who were involuntarily discharged for misconduct. The purpose? To determine whether the employees are eligible to receive a 65% subsidy for continuation of health insurance benefits under COBRA.

Can law enforcement agencies prohibit uniformed officers from wearing religious garb?

05/11/2009

Q. As a law enforcement agency, we have several employees who want to wear religious garb with their uniforms. Our uniform regulations do not provide any accommodation for religious symbols or dress. Can we require strict compliance with the uniform regulation without violating religious discrimination laws?

Employers: ‘Keep Out!’ Beware intruding in employee web sites

05/06/2009

It’s becoming a common problem: An employer discovers disparaging comments on an employee’s Facebook, MySpace or personal blog. Maybe a post reveals internal company information. Can the employer take disciplinary action? A series of new laws and evolving legal doctrines have placed limits on how far an employer can encroach on the private and off-site activities of its employees.

Help managers supervise staff who work from home

05/04/2009

More than 33 million Americans now work remotely at least one day per month, according to the “Telework Trendlines 2009” survey report. Still, most managers have been trained to work with employees who are only physically present to them. How can you manage what you can’t see? Here are some tips:

Can we ban weapons anywhere on our premises?

05/04/2009

Q. I know I can prohibit anyone, including employees, from bringing weapons into the workplace. Can I expand the same prohibition to the rest of my property, such as the parking lot?

How to Solve Your Employee Absentee Problem

05/03/2009
Login Email Address Password I forgot my password To continue reading this page, become an HR Specialist Premium Plus member today! Your subscription includes: Ask the Attorney: Answers to your HR legal questions Compliance Guidance: Access to 7,000 HR news articles, updated daily, sorted by state State-by-State: Summaries of HR laws in all 50 states […]

25 Off-Limits Interview Questions

05/01/2009
White Paper published by The HR Specialist, copyright 2009 ______________________ Job interviews present a minefield of legal problems. One wrong question could spark a discrimination lawsuit. That’s why you should never "wing it" during interviews. Instead, create a list of interview questions and make sure every question asks for job-related information that will help in […]

Create an anti-discrimination action plan now

04/28/2009

If discrimination has always been a head-in-the-sand issue for you and your organization, it’s time to get serious about your policies and practices. Discrimination complaints of all types—race, sex, age, etc.—have climbed as steeply in the past year as the economy has fallen. Don’t get caught flat-footed.