Archives

5 Steps to Effective Training

To train effectively, first create a conducive environment, then follow these 5 steps: Yesterday’s Daily Advisor discussed preparation for training … how to quell the discomfort many feel about facing new challenges and how to set up an effective training environment, followed by opportunities to put the new knowledge quickly to work. Now let’s cover […]

Use Your Brain Before You Train

Training can be easier and more effective if you prepare properly … both yourself and the trainees. Here are tips for doing it. Ask any group of HR managers what they least like about the job, and it’s even money that the answer will be training. A lot of that probably comes from the fact […]

What Employers Should and Shouldn’t Keep in Employees’ Personnel Files

Labor and employment law attorneys get a lot of questions from employers about personnel files. The most frequently asked question is, “What should I include, and who gets to see them?” Read on as we attempt to sort out some of those questions. HR Guide to Employment Law: A practical compliance reference manual covering 14 […]

Race Discrimination Claims Tossed Despite Offensive Conduct

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits race discrimination. But is a minority employee the victim of discrimination or retaliation if a supervisor treats all direct reports “very badly” and “like a child”? What if the supervisor also steps up documentation on the employee after she complained that the supervisor is “racist”? […]

Cocktails Revisited

Litigation Value: $75,000 (I’m sticking with my earlier assessment) A number of people have asked me whether Jan could really be fired for dating Michael. My answer? Probably. Well, at least in most states. Employers can, and often do, implement policies prohibiting their employees from engaging in romantic relationships with co-workers and, certainly, with subordinates. […]

The Salvation Army … Discriminatory? Say It Isn’t So!

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Yes, Virginia (well, Massachusetts in this case), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says that the red kettle brigade is guilty of violating Title VII. The Issue: Speaking English-Only.  Few organizations have the moral stature of the Salvation Army, yet the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently sued […]

Workplace Dress Code Policies: What Issues Must They Address?

There’s nothing casual about drafting a dress code policy. An August 22 BLR audio conference will tell you how to create one that’s both legal and workable. More than a decade ago, business began to implement the dress code policy of “Casual Friday.” Employers back then felt that loosening the rigid standards of past years […]

A Piercing Question: How Far Should Dress Codes Go?

With up to half of younger employees now sporting tattoos, piercings, and other “body art,” how far should employers’ dress codes go to accommodate this? Do you tattoo? That’s a question employers have to ask themselves these days. The reason: There’s a good chance that, if you haven’t already, you’ll soon be dealing with employees […]

Employment Law Tip: Reviewing Your Vacation Policy

It’s that time of year when vacations are in full swing, and maybe all the overlapping vacation requests and questions about how vacation works have exposed some gaps in your vacation policy? If so, it’s time to review your policy. Here are the key areas a comprehensive vacation policy should address: Who is entitled to […]

Wage and Hour: Small Businesses Reeling from Minimum Wage Hike

According to a new survey, nearly 70 percent of small businesses say that they might have to raise their prices because of costs associated with the recent increase in the federal minimum wage, and 60 percent of small business owners predict they won’t be able to offset the cost of the wage increase.