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Policies / Handbooks

When you learn of possible harassment, investigate promptly, take fast action

07/09/2010

Employers that act fast when an employee complains about any form of harassment can almost always salvage what would otherwise be a very bad situation. The key is prompt investigation—followed by equally fast and decisive action if it turns out the complaint has merit.

Are we in trouble? We just demanded that one of our employees lose weight

07/08/2010
Q. I own a restaurant where we require the waitresses to wear revealing outfits. Recently, we placed an employee on a probationary period as a result of her having gained weight. We advised her that if she did not lose 10 pounds in 60 days, we would terminate her employment. Have we done anything illegal?

After poor-performing worker complains about e-mail, should we follow through on plans to fire?

07/08/2010
Q. Admittedly, this is an odd-ball question. My HR department just received a complaint from an employee about risqué e-mails that some of her co-workers were trading back and forth. Coincidentally, the employee who complained is also slotted for termination because of poor performance and attendance problems. Is there any risk in terminating this employee in light of her recent complaint?

Mansfield’s dress code ruffles employees’ feathers

07/08/2010

Municipal officials in Mansfield are drawing criticism from city employees after a new dress code went into effect in June. Apparently because casual Fridays had gotten a bit too casual, the dress code spells out sartorial do’s and don’ts.

Shopping for employee-lawsuit insurance: 6 questions to ask

07/01/2010
Employment practice liability insurance (EPLI) covers you from employee lawsuit judgments. The jump in employee lawsuits is making EPLI a nearly must-have; so premiums are rising. Here’s how to shop for a policy …

FMLA now covers care for partner’s, other relative’s children

06/29/2010
New U.S. Department of Labor rules say employees who care for a domestic partner’s child—or whose partner gives birth or adopts a child—are now eligible to take FMLA leave to care for those children. Also covered: Extended-family members who care for kids. Learn the details of this major FMLA expansion.

Set up standard process for responding to accommodations requests–and use it every time

06/24/2010
One of the quickest roads to the courthouse is to ignore or brush off a disabled employee’s request for accommodations. At least investigate the possibilities before denying a request.

Review e-communications policies in wake of Supreme Court texting decision

06/22/2010
The Supreme Court ruled last week that a police department’s search of an officer’s personal text messages sent via a department-issued pager didn’t violate his constitutional rights. But the court punted on the question of how much privacy employees can expect when using employer-provided gear. The split decision means your policies are more important than ever.

Help create a more transparent workplace

06/22/2010
When times get tough, tough organizations get transparent. The more connected employees are with the financial big picture, the better they can generate revenue-boosting ideas. Is your C-suite boss seeking new ways to engage front-line employees by keeping them informed? Here’s how you can support his efforts.

Establish an employee policy on responding to shoplifters–and be consistent in enforcement

06/22/2010
Two employees of a Sprint store chased down and subdued a shoplifter even though they were on break at the time. Heroic? Yes. But also a violation of Sprint company policy, and both men were fired. Employers are within their rights to set such policies, but make sure you enforce such policies consistently to avoid discrimination claims.