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Policies / Handbooks

Policies can protect you from liability for employee torts

07/31/2014
Employers occasionally become dejected over the prospects of defending against tort and other civil claims in state courts. However, a recent case out of Houston reaffirms that employers can and do win these kinds of cases—if they have implemented the appropriate policies.

Can we ban employee appointments during work?

07/18/2014
Q. I have an employee who is constantly scheduling appointments during work hours and having to leave. In the past two weeks alone, she missed 27 hours due to appointments. If we cannot restrict appointments outside of work, can I require documentation of appointments?

NLRB: Ban on ‘inappropriate’ conduct is illegal

06/23/2014

You read that right. Soon you will recall the good ol’ days when employee handbooks could prohibit employees from having a “discourteous or inappropriate attitude or behavior.” The NLRB in April ruled that such language was too broad and could possibly deter employees from discussing their pay or working conditions with colleagues.

Setting a smart and legally sound attendance policy: 8 do’s and don’ts

06/19/2014
You can avoid legally dangerous disciplinary mistakes by ensuring that supervisors understand the following do’s and don’ts.

How your handbook may violate the NLRA

06/09/2014
The National Labor Relations Act guarantees employees the right to discuss working conditions and organize. The language contained in your employee handbook can put you on the wrong side of the law.

Employers crack down on social media abuse

06/05/2014
More than 70% of employers have disciplined employees for misuse of social media. Daniel Ornstein of the Proskauer law firm outlines ways to stop the headaches before they happen.

What to do when a co-worker dies

05/27/2014
It would be futile for ­managers to expect the colleagues of a deceased employee to go about business as usual. Here’s how HR should respond.

What do we need to know before implementing a mandatory dress code?

05/23/2014
Q. Are we free to institute any mandatory dress code that we’d like?

Can employees moonlight while out on medical leave?

05/12/2014
It may seem wrong for an employee who is out on disability leave to work another job. But don’t be so quick to fire her for lying about her medical condition—it could backfire in the form of a disability or retaliation claim.

Who’s in charge of implementing corporate diversity initiatives?

05/09/2014
HR is responsible for running most American employers’ diversity initiatives, according to a new survey by the Society for Human Resource Management.