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The answers are easy!

by Dan Oswald Have you ever faced a problem at work that seemed so overwhelming, so insurmountable that you struggled to even know how to begin to resolve it? And the more you studied the problem, the more convinced you became that the solution must be equally as complex. Your exercise in problem solving became […]

Good Boundaries to Make for Good PTO Policies

Yesterday’s Advisor featured tricky PTO policy questions from Attorney Katherine Marques. Today, we present her key success factors for PTO, plus we introduce the best way to find compliance violations—before the feds do. Marques, an associate in the New York office of Holland & Knight LLP, offered her PTO tips at a recent webinar sponsored […]

Exceptions to meal period requirements in California

In California, meal periods for employees must be at least 30 minutes by law, and the employee must be fully relieved of all work during that meal period. The meal period may be unpaid, and it has to be taken within the first 5 hours of the shift. These requirements apply for any workday in […]

Horrible bosses aren’t always male

Litigation Value: Rampant unlawful discrimination and harassment = more zeros than I’ve seen in a long time; instructing employees to fire all the “cripples” and the “fatties” = an expensive lesson for the employer to learn; finding out that a sequel is in the works = priceless. To kick off our new blog, I thought […]

How far-reaching will the Irving Pulp & Paper decision be?

By Clayton Jones Last week we told you about the recent decision in Irving Pulp & Paper where the Supreme Court of Canada severely limited an employer’s right to perform random alcohol and drug testing in the workplace. The implications of the Irving decision will undoubtedly be far-reaching, including on two prominent cases currently being […]

The 11 Questions Your PTO Policy Must Answer

We all love PTO because it’s easier to administer than separate time-off policies, but there are many issues to be clarified before your program runs smoothly and avoids lawsuits, says Attorney Katherine Marques. Unfortunately, to complicate matters, many state laws (and some city laws) cover sick time and/or vacation time, so proceed with caution, says […]

Do Your PowerPoint® Slide Designs Enhance Learning?

“Since slides packed with long lists of bullet points result in “cognitive overload” for learners, Cliff Atkinson recommends that trainers design their presentations in a format that’s consistent with the way people think. Atkinson, author of Beyond Bullet Points (Microsoft 2005), says most learners can retain only three or four pieces of information at any […]

Summer jobs and workplace harassment: Train your teen workers to avoid trouble

by Joan Farrell June’s here and school’s out for the summer! For many teenagers, that means finding a summer job; and for most, it’s their first job or their first experience in a workplace. That means employers should be ready to provide training—and not just in the how-to’s of the job, but in appropriate workplace […]

Mel Kleiman Making Interviewing Meaningful

In yesterday’s Advisor, consultant Mel Kleiman offered tips for hiring eagles and avoiding turkeys. Today, his take on interviewing, plus an introduction to the guide especially for small or even one-person HR departments. Kleiman, from Humetrics, Inc., offered his tips on hiring the best at BLR’s Strategic HR Summit, held recently in Scottsdale, Arizona. During […]

Employer Mandate Delayed: Obama Gives in to Employer Concerns over Reform

In a startling move, the Obama administration delayed the employer mandate (for companies with 50 or more workers) to offer health insurance to workers or pay a penalty, until January 2015 (a one-year delay) while it reassesses employer reporting burdens and gives employers more time to arrange compliance with the health care reform statute and […]