Policies / Handbooks

Firing OK for breaking no-dating policy?

02/22/2012

Q. Our company policy prohibits managers from dating subordinates. I have just learned that a manager has violated this rule. May we terminate him?

Employee resigns in the middle of litigation? Courts unlikely to order you to change policies

02/22/2012

When courts find that an employee has been discriminated against, they often order the employer to end the practice or policy that was the basis for the lawsuit. But when the employee voluntarily quits before the case is over, that remedy isn’t available.

Do you have an official policy that regulates romantic relationships between co-workers?

02/21/2012

In the workplace, love may be in the air, but most employers turn a blind eye.

More than just paper: Sexual harassment policy won’t work without supervisor training

02/15/2012

Employers can create all the anti-harassment policies they want and still end up liable for sexual harassment. The key to a successful policy is action. The policy must work. And the policy won’t work if supervisors ignore it or aren’t trained how to implement it.

Policies are key to handling workplace romance

02/14/2012

Romance may be in the air at your workplace this Valentine’s Day. A 2011 survey by CareerBuilder.com found that 40% of those polled said they have dated a co-worker. But while Cupid shoots arrows, workplace romances often blow up in a liability minefield.

Timing is everything when it comes to workplace romances gone bad and terminations

02/13/2012

When you terminate an employee for a good, obvious and well-documented reason, you seldom have to worry about a surprise harassment complaint. Former employees file them fairly frequently, but courts tend to view them with suspicion. The obvious question: Why didn’t the employee complain about harassment before?

Use harassment hotline? Keep detailed records

02/09/2012

Chances are, you have a sexual harassment policy that gives employees several ways to report harassment—maybe including a hotline for phoning in problems. But beware: An employee may file an EEOC complaint before you even have a chance to investigate alleged harassment. If that happens, your hotline records may play a crucial role in your defense.

Can dermatologist tell worker to tone down the tan?

02/06/2012

Q. We’re a dermatology practice and one of our new employees is excessive with tanning. She has a dark tan and sometimes is sunburned. We promote the opposite of what she does. She also wears tight low-cut tops. Are we allowed to say something in both regards?

NLRB’s latest crack at social media policy? What a mess!

02/03/2012

In late January, the National Labor Relations Board released an “Operations Management Memo” that purports to offer additional guidance to employers and HR professionals concerned about employees’ use of social media. I can sum up the NLRB’s report in three words: What a mess.

Be sure to document the effective date of all new disciplinary policies

02/02/2012

When you change a disciplinary policy, make sure you document exactly when the change went into effect. That way, an employee who is punished more severely can’t point to the earlier disciplinary actions as evidence he was unfairly singled out.