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Policies / Handbooks

Should employers be testing employees for COVID-19?

08/21/2020
Taken by panic and an abundance of caution, many organizations are considering requiring all employees to present negative COVID-19 tests as a condition to reporting to work. Legally, the EEOC says you can require this testing. Practically, however, it presents some huge hurdles.

Bosses, not staff, should enforce mask rules

08/04/2020
“Do not ask or expect a nonmanagement employee to handle removal of a noncompliant visitor, guest or customer,” advised the Fisher Phillips employment law firm in a recent blog post.

3 overlooked basics of a telecommuting agreement

07/30/2020
If you don’t have a telecommuting agreement on the books, attorney Anniken Davenport provided guidance on how to structure one in a recent webinar.

Now more than ever, keep dress code neutral

07/30/2020
With a potentially polarizing election looming, workplace conflict over politics seems almost inevitable. Employers should avoid fueling those battles. One flashpoint to beware: Dress codes that prescribe what employees must or must not wear at work, especially concerning political expression.

Google extends work-from-home, others could follow

07/28/2020
News that Google will allow most employees to work from home for 12 more months has other employers reconsidering their own plans to reopen workplaces this year.

More employers mandate masks to cut risks

07/23/2020
Sure, those face masks have been proven to help cut the spread of coronavirus. But employment lawyers say there’s another good reason to mandate them in the workplace for staff and customers—masks can reduce the spread of lawsuits, too.

Even after reopening, prepare for some staff to remain remote

06/30/2020
Redesigning workplaces for social distancing, virus containment and general safety is proving daunting and expensive. No wonder some employers are rethinking whether to reopen.

4 steps to stamp out anti-LGBT discrimination

06/18/2020
Priority No. 1: Make sure everyone in your organization understands that you will not tolerate any form of anti-gay discrimination or harassment.

NLRB OKs limited bans on cell phones at work

06/04/2020
The National Labor Relations Board has upheld an employer policy requiring employees to stow personal cell phones in lockers because safety concerns on the factory floor outweigh the “relatively slight risk” that the policy would interfere with employees’ right to engage in activity protected by the National Labor Relations Act.

Back-to-work checklist: Steps to consider in emerging from shutdown

05/21/2020
As workplaces reopen after the coronavirus shutdown, here is a checklist from The Conference Board to help your HR department plan these important safety, operational and legal decisions.