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Ideas for Surviving Sitcom Purgatory

I feel like I’m trapped in sitcom purgatory, stuck between The Office episodes of yesteryear and the glorious Scranton Promised Land where James Spader reigns supreme as the new branch manager. If you are like me, and find the combination of August heat and reruns to be oppressive at times, I have the following suggestions. […]

Open and Honest Communication

People want to know what’s going on where they work. They want to know what the organization is trying to accomplish — the mission thing. They want to know how the business is going to get there — the vision thing.  And, most of all, they want to know how the company is doing at […]

Court Upholds $923,656 Back-Pay Award

On May 31, the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision awarding $923,656 in back pay to a terminated employee of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), an agency of the U.S. government. The decision shows the damages available to employees that prove retaliation based on the filing of an Equal Employment […]

‘Too Much time Wasted on Manure,’ Says Reader

By Stephen D. Bruce, PHR Editor, HR Daily Advisor Our recent e-pinion from Dan Oswald about “what to do with employees who hate each other’ sparked considerable interest from readers, so much so that now there’s a second wave of comments to share. Most of the comments react to the question of whether it makes […]

Social Media: Used Not Just to ‘Friend’, but to Hire

“Should employers be allowed to screen job candidates based on their online behavior even if their actions are not pertinent to t he listed job?” That was the query today from Washington Post financial columnist Michelle Singletary. For human resources (HR) staff, this is not a theoretical question; it’s a very real struggle. The brave […]

Worst Mistake #3: Wage/Hour Missteps

In yesterday’s CED, we covered the first two “Worst Mistakes” your managers are making. Today, #3 on the list — plus an introduction to a webinar next week that can help you solve it.

How I Sold Flex to Management

Yesterday’s Advisor showed that flexibility is a business imperative. Today, real-world tips on selling flex to management, plus the unique 10-minutes-at-a-time HR training system. DeVry’s CEO was skeptical, says the Nancy Johnson, Sr. Director Talent Management, but most managers were supportive, and ultimately she did sell management on flex. Johnson shared her flex tips at […]

Converting to a cash balance plan is risky business

Companies that move from pensions to a cash balance plan can benefit by avoiding the risk of market volatility, but they should explain all aspects of the switch to employees and be careful not to violate the prohibition against age discrimination. When cash balance accounts replace retirement pensions, employees can be highly sensitive to the […]