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Which Professionals Tip the Scales?

More than half (55 percent) of workers consider themselves to be overweight, and 41 percent have gained weight at their present jobs, according to a CareerBuilder survey. Of those who say they’ve gained weight, 59 percent gained over 10 pounds, and 30 percent gained over 20 pounds. Workers in the following five professions were most […]

Top 10 Do’s and Don’t’s from FMLA and ADA Court Rulings

Leave policy administration under the FMLA and the ADA presents numerous challenges to employers. Following is a “Do” and “Do Not” list based on the outcomes of 10 interference and retaliation claims by aggrieved employees that the courts have heard in the last five months. Do see if short-term disability benefits are granted or denied to […]

Appellate Court Upholds Pension Plan’s Right to Stand by Employee’s Withholding Choice

A recent federal appeals court decision serves as a reminder that communicating with employees about their options for benefits calculation methods in defined benefit retirement plans is a very important aspect of preparing them adequately for retirement. Some DB plans offer more than one way to accumulate assets, and allow participants to choose the method […]

Stop with Selecting the Best Applicants … Start Selecting the Best Employees

Kleiman, who offered hiring tips at BLR’s HR Strategic Summit held recently in Scottsdale, Arizona, will be speaking on the topic in an upcoming BLR® Webinar. Finding A Players Kleiman offers four sources of great new employees that are free and easy. Former Employees Former employees who left the company and came back are great […]

Can You Hear Me Now?

Three main goals for your telephone training are that trainees will learn to: Understand the importance of proper telephone etiquette. Identify guidelines for speaking and listening on the phone. Follow proper etiquette when making and receiving calls. The telephone is an essential tool for conducting business—just think about how many times a day you use […]

Banning electronic cigarettes in the workplace

by Reggie Gay Electronic cigarette companies like to say that users of their products can “Smoke anywhere!” According to the recent Businessweek article “E-Cigarettes Want Your Attention Now (Before the FDA Steps In),” electronic cigarettes are “expected to top $1 billion in annual sales in the next few years.” As the industry grows exponentially, employers […]

How Come Terry Gets to …? (Danger: Don’t Answer)

In yesterday’s Advisor, Attorney Joan Farrell clarified the ADA compliance process; today, she is joined by Attorney Patricia Trainor, SPHR, on what to do with coworker questions about accommodation, plus we‘ll introduce the unique “50×50,” your guide to 50 key employment laws in 50 states. It’s a tough situation when a coworker asks, “Why does […]

Practical System for Helping Managers Who Don’t Perform

For Day 1 suggestions, go here. Day 2 (AM): The 1-on-1 Meeting with Wilma and Fred (Poor-Performing Manager and Supervisor) I’ve got three rules I’ll ask you to follow as we begin this meeting. First, don’t hold anything back. This is a once-in-a-career benefit, and the purpose of this meeting is to get it all […]

$110K Penalty Shows: Alcoholism is an ADA-protected Condition

Employers, pay heed. A recent court outcome — and hefty monetary award for the employee — reiterate the fact that alcoholism is a disability protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Following a five-day trial a federal jury in Pennsylvania awarded more than $109,000 to a cook whose rights, it found, had been violated when […]

Use a Blended Learning Approach for Your Environmental Training

Though there are many benefits of using e-learning programs for your environmental, health, and safety (EHS) training, e-learning doesn’t work for every organization, or it may work only as part of a blended learning approach. Blended learning is a commonsense concept that results in great learning success. The blended learning approach is simply acknowledging that […]