Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Nearly 90 percent of discrimination charges are discharge-related. The reasons are obvious: Terminations cause hard feelings, create economic need, and destroy feelings of loyalty, says today’s expert. What can HR do? Expert James W. Bucking, partner and co-head of the Employment Department at Foley Hoag LLP in Boston, blogging on HR FactFinder, offers 10 tips […]
(Update May 26, 2009 – California Supreme Court rules that same-sex marriage ban — Proposition 8 — passed by voters in November 2008 is legal but 18,000 same-sex marriages performed before the ban was approved are valid.) A recent decision by the California Supreme Court on same-sex marriage may have implications for employers in other […]
by Kara Shea In a previous article, I discussed the risks of some of the methods employers use to forestall layoffs (such as adjusting hours and compensation). This week, I’m going to assume the worst has happened and talk you through a layoff scenario, with the goal of reducing the risk of wrongful discharge claims […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady BLR’s founder agrees that commitment is crucial for business success, but questions whether HR managers can be “commitment coaches” for upper management. In a recent column in Workforce Management, Gershon Mader and Josh Leibner, consultants with Quantum Performance, Inc., wrote about “commitment” (not the kind that women look […]
Effective August 15, Louisiana will join a growing number of “red” states that have limited employer policies banning guns from the workplace. Under the new law (Senate Bill 51), employers may not prohibit employees from storing “lawfully possessed” firearms in their locked personally owned or leased vehicles while parked on company property. The new law […]
There is no question that Michael Scott wants all his employees at The Office to like him. He even fessed up to it in the episode where he hit Meredith with his car. Well, sort of — Michael said, “I enjoy being liked. I have to be liked. But it’s not like this compulsive need […]
So you think you’re safe because you document every employment action? Read this lawsuit-losing list of common errors, and see if you’re “guilty” of any of them. You’ve been sued by a former employee and now you’re facing the music in court. You’re not worried, though. You’ve documented why you fired the guy, and you’re […]
The California Supreme Court has issued an important decision that makes it clear that employers cannot restrain an employee’s ability to compete, regardless of how reasonable or narrow the restrictions. As a result of this ruling, employers should do a thorough review of their employment agreements to ensure they do not contain unlawful noncompetition provisions.
Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book It Takes More Than a Carrot and a Stick: Practical Ways for Getting Along with People You Can’t Avoid at Work by Wess Roberts, Ph.D. Book explains faultfinders, or the self-righteous employees, and how employers can handle those employees. Wess Roberts, Ph.D., divides It Takes More Than […]
Diversity consultants want to get your managers to bare their true feelings about race, gender, and sexual preference. “That’s a very dangerous approach,” says today’s expert. Beware of diversity training that’s really a therapy session, encounter group, or other forum for employees to “let it all hang out,” says attorney Lindsay Harris. Harris is senior […]