Policies / Handbooks

15 questions to ask when auditing your handbook

07/15/2015

It’s good business to review your handbook once a year and revise it as necessary. Answer these questions to gauge its thoroughness and reliability.

What’s wrong with that policy?

07/13/2015

Company policies lay the foundation on which employment expectations are formed, and thus, workplace actions are taken. A missing phrase here, an undefined term there can spell policy disaster.

How to limit damage from an employee-turned-competitor

07/03/2015

It happens more often than you might think: You find out that one of your employees is preparing to go out on her own or jump ship to join a competitor. Your fear: There go our trade secrets. Here’s how to prevent the problem, or respond to it if it happens.

Provide clear rules on promotions to prevent failure-to-promote lawsuits

06/26/2015

Employers that provide clear rules on what employees must do before being considered for promotions can reduce the possibility of failure-to-promote lawsuits. That’s because employees who don’t follow those clear rules can’t argue they weren’t promoted on account of their membership in a protected class. They lost out because they didn’t follow the rules.

Workers: Don’t monitor me!

06/23/2015

More than half of working people polled don’t want their bosses snooping on them. Asked how important they considered not being monitored at work, here’s what respondents said.

Recipe for a lawsuit: No reporting policy, name-calling

06/09/2015

You’re risking trouble if you don’t have an anti-harassment and discrimination policy that allows employees to report discrimination and harassment.

Get the Most Out of Exit Interviews

04/25/2015

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Do nonexempts really need noncompetes?

04/22/2015

In recent years, a few employers have begun requiring even nonexempt employees to sign noncompete agreements. It may well be a short-lived trend.

What constitutes an essential job function?

04/21/2015

Q. I hand a brochure titled “Job Information and Requirements” to each new hire I bring on board to my construction company. With the addition of new positions, I need to draft new brochures with job descriptions, but am having trouble determining the essential job functions. Is there a specific method that I can use to decide whether a job function is essential?

How should we provide required posters for employees who work from home?

04/13/2015

Q. We have a number of employees who work solely from home. For them, is electronic delivery or posting of the notice required by the new Women’s Economic Security Act sufficient? Do we need to have the employee acknowledge receipt?