Where Was HR? (Are You the Company Watchdog?)
Just My E-pinion When egregious violations occur unchallenged, the CED editor asks, “Where was HR?” And he gives 6 practical tips to help you make sure you’re there when you are needed.
Archives
Tuition Assistance: Is Your Plan Average, Better, or Worse?
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Tuition assistance should be easy enough to structure and offer, but it’s not. We found a number of tricky questions that companies must answer before offering it. So for today’s survey, we decided to find out just what companies are offering and how they are structuring their plan. […]
10 Things HR Needs to Know about California Wage and Hour Laws
by Jim Brown and Marc Koonin Companies with employees working in California must always remain mindful of the state’s protectionist wage and hour laws. You must always comply with federal standards and all California laws that provide greater protections for employees than the federal requirements. Failure to do so might be an unwelcome invitation to […]
What to Say— FMLA Pattern and Intermittent Absences
By CED Editor Stephen D. Bruce, PHR In yesterday’s Daily, we heard Paul Falcone’s advice on just what to say when employees say “It’s off the record.” Today, it’s what to say for excessive absenteeism and FMLA abuse, plus an introduction to an extraordinary 10-minutes-at-a-time training program.
The 10 Steps to a Bulletproof Investigation
In yesterday’s Advisor, we offered attorney Jennifer Brown Shaw’s suggestions for—and warnings about—internal investigations. Today, Shaw’s 10 steps required for a good investigation, and an introduction to a unique checklist-based audit program. Shaw is a partner in the law firm of Shaw Valenza LLP in Sacramento. Her comments came during the Society for Human Resource […]
What You Must Do to Prevent Retaliation Lawsuits
In yesterday’s Advisor, we featured attorney Michael Faillace’s suggestions for avoiding the first prong of retaliation charges. Today, the second and third prongs, and an introduction to an extraordinary 10-minute-at-a-time training program. Faillace, managing partner of Michael Faillace & Associates in New York City, offered specific steps HR managers can take to prevent retaliation at […]
Twitter for Dummies
Inspired by the subject, M. Lee Smith’s Twitter master Tony Kessler reviews Twitter for Dummies by Laura Fitton, Michael E. Gruen, and Leslie Poston in rounds of 140 characters or less. 20 Tweets About Twitter For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech)) For this book review of Twitter for Dummies, here are 20 tweets (max 140 characters […]
Tough Conversations with Your Employees—Word for Word Examples of What to Say
By CED Editor Stephen D. Bruce, PHR “Managers and supervisors will instantly call the help desk when they have a computer problem,” says Paul Falcone, “but they are reluctant to ask for help when they face a tough conversation with an employee.”
Internal Investigations: Don’t Make a Legal Determination
When HR managers do internal investigations, one of the most common mistakes is to wind up the final report with a legal determination, says attorney Jennifer Brown Shaw. “Don’t do that,” she urges. “Just find out and report what happened.” In California, for example, Shaw says, a legal conclusion reached in your investigation report is […]
Escaping the ‘Incredible Pain’ of Retaliation
Retaliation cases are an “incredible pain,” says Michael Faillace. “They are the 21st century weapon for plaintiffs’ lawyers who have no case.” Retaliation claims are growing, notes Faillace, and it is no wonder—employees with baseless claims can make their retaliation claims stick. “You just don’t want to be in front of a jury on one […]