Archives

Baseball purists

“Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.” -H.L. Mencken This post may not be the usual finger-wagging scold you may have come to expect from an employment lawyer. I’m confident, though, that this blog’s audience of fellow practitioners and human resource professionals will take a little solace in it. After all, it’s no […]

Puzder nomination could be the end of overtime rules

The president-elect’s nomination of Andy Puzder for secretary of labor may very well be the final nail in the coffin for the new overtime rules. Puzder, CEO of CKE Restaurants, has been an outspoken critic of President Barack Obama’s employment initiatives for years. Several of those efforts, especially the overtime rules, are dead given Puzder’s […]

How to Help Employees Get the Most from Performance Reviews

by Ron DeCamella, director of Learning for Namely The performance review—what was once a staple of the workplace has become a heated debate in HR. While some stand by them as the traditional way to measure performance, others argue that they’re not effective at all.

Dying of Boredom—Someone Give Me a Job!

Paul Critchlow wasn’t the only retiree who found retirement unfulfilling and boring. Joe Bartley, an 89-year-old war veteran who lives in England, was also unsatisfied with being retired—so he took out an ad in his local paper in the hopes he’d find a job!

Small Businesses Are Feeling Charitable This Year—Employees Reap the Benefits

More than 60% of small business owners will offer a holiday or year-end bonus to employees this year, according to the most recent SurePayroll Small Business Scorecard®. It’s a spike from 2 years ago when SurePayroll surveyed business owners about bonuses, and only 52% were providing additional pay. This year, 64% will give a bonus. […]

A Compensation Hot Potato

My day job puts me in contact with a lot of HR and compensation professionals. Some need help with finding salary data for a job or with setting up job grades. Sometimes, though, they just need an ear to listen.

Ask the Expert: Holiday Pay for Probationary Employees?

Question: Our company has a probationary period of 90 days for all new hires (both exempt and non-exempt) that does not allow holiday pay until after the probationary period is met. I read under DOL that FLSA does not require private employers to provide holiday pay. Are we violating any rules?

9 Red Flags of a Toxic Workplace Culture

The fate of an organization often rests squarely on the shoulders of the employees who work there. If the employees are dissatisfied, it can affect employee morale, productivity, turnover, and more. It can then directly impact customer service and satisfaction levels. Clearly, any employer would be well served to ensure that the organizational culture promotes […]

Beyond Break-Outs: Successful Small Group Sessions for Your Next Conference

So, you’re planning a conference and looking for a great way to encourage participation from your audience. Yesterday we discussed the merits of break-out groups and how to ensure their success. But what if your group is tired of break-outs and wants something different? Here are a few ideas: