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Training

Want to muzzle all workplace gossip? Use training, not a blanket no-gossip policy

01/30/2014

You may not like the idea of em­­ployees grousing to each other in the breakroom about their knucklehead managers or the new health care plan. But don’t try to silence such behavior with a broad no-gossip policy. As this new case shows, you could run afoul of the NLRA.

Remind supervisors: They can be held personally liable for many work-related problems

01/28/2014

Quite often, employees’ attorneys make sure supervisors are separately charged and individually liable. Cite this trend during training to instill in your managers and supervisors that they need to follow the professional advice HR provides—or else face the consequences.

Want staff loyalty? Get a company dog! … and include loyalty in employee training

01/23/2014

You may think that employees understand their obligations when they sign noncompete and nonsolicitation agreements designed to prevent them from jumping ship and stealing your clients. Don’t make that assumption. Instead, include loyalty training in your orientation programs.

Constructive Discharge

01/17/2014

HR Law 101: Some supervisors try to skirt the whole issue of firing someone by resorting to constructive discharge. Their logic: If we make an employee’s time at work so intolerable, he or she will choose to resign. That’s an unwise strategy …

Free college HR courses: No cost, no credit, just wisdom

01/16/2014

You don’t need to enroll in college to take undergraduate and graduate HR courses that enhance your knowledge and career. Universities and other sources offer free online courses through OpenCourseWare websites. Here’s a rundown of some sources and HR courses:

Chrysler takes its training academy on the road

01/14/2014
Chrysler Group employees who can’t make the trip to the auto manufacturer’s 25,000-square-foot War­­ren, Mich., training center can attend remotely via a new mobile classroom.

Often-overlooked risk: training discrimination

01/07/2014
Make sure supervisors in your organization aren’t playing favorites with some employees at the expense of others. Excluding certain employees from the “inner circle” that get special training, mentoring or promotion opportunities is legally dangerous, as this new ruling shows.

Pay for voluntary training during lunch?

01/03/2014
Q. If our organization offers voluntary employee training, which takes place during lunch, do we have to pay employees for the time spent attending training?

Train and track to beat harassment lawsuits

12/23/2013
Employers aren’t required to prevent all harassment—just to stop it when it happens and take reasonable preventive steps. Two of those: Providing anti-harassment training to every employee and tracking who gets that training.

What steps should we take to ensure supervisors issue consistent discipline?

12/02/2013
Q. We are having a hard time keeping discipline consistent between supervisors. To promote consistency, upper management would like to implement a new discipline policy setting out what disciplinary steps should be followed. Do you recommend this?