Author: Stephen Bruce, PhD, PHR

Employees Hate Each Other? Readers Disagree with Our Suggestion

In his e-pinion on this page a few weeks ago, Dan Oswald suggested that when two employees hate each other, the best course may be keeping the most valuable employee and firing the other one. Most readers didn’t agree. Oswald’s original story is found here in The Oswald Letter. The full text of all the […]

Plaintiff’s Lawyer Reveals: Mistakes that Make My Day

In yesterday’s Advisor, plaintiff’s attorney Whitney Warner gave us tips from “the enemy,” that is, a successful plaintiffs’ attorney. Today, more of her tips, plus an introduction to a 24/7 leadership training program that won’t break the bank. Warner, who is SPHR certified, is the founding partner of Moody and Warner PC in Albuquerque, New […]

3 Paths To Better Training

Training is often perceived as a soft science. But to train better and to get more funding for training, consider doing it “by the numbers.” These days, business is increasingly ruled by numbers. But there are some things that can’t be quantified, right? Like how the human mind can be affected by training. Not so, […]

#1 Thing that Makes You a Lawsuit Magnet

The number one thing that makes a lawsuit attractive to a plaintiff’s lawyer? When no reason is given for a termination. In today’s Advisor, advice from the other side of the courtroom—plaintiff’s attorney Whitney Warner spills about the management mistakes she looks for in planning legal actions against companies like yours. Warner, who is SPHR […]

Firing Employees for Gross Misconduct: How Is COBRA Coverage Affected?

Employers should tread carefully when deciding not to offer COBRA continuation coverage due to “gross misconduct,” as a recent court case reminds. Here, a federal district court in Ohio held that a former employee’s conviction due to a sex offense, which led to his employment termination, was not yet enough to deny COBRA coverage due […]

HR Daily Advisor Editor Stephen Bruce Quoted in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The HR Daily Advisor® announced today that the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quoted human resources expert Stephen Bruce, PHR in the July 11th article, “A Supreme Court ruling could make lawyers reluctant to take on women’s workplace lawsuits.” Bruce is editor of the HR Daily Advisor, and has recently been named one of HR Examiner’s Top 25 […]

The 6 Scary Phrases to Avoid in Documentation

In yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Allison West offered her do’s and don’ts for bulletproof documentation. Today, her six scary phrases to avoid, plus an introduction to a surprisingly effective 10-minutes-at-a-time training system for your supervisors and managers. West, principal at Employment Practices Specialists in Pacifica, California, offered her suggestions at SHRM’s annual conference and exhibition, held […]

The Playbook for Refereeing Employee Disputes

The conflict-free workplace…alas, it simply doesn’t exist. Because workplace conflict disrupts morale and performance, and affects everyone in the organization, it’s important to be able to referee these disputes to a peaceful conclusion. Here are some tips for doing just that.

Careless Documentation: Key Evidence Against You in Court

If you’re not careful with your documentation, says Attorney Allison West, you’re probably creating evidence that your employee’s attorney can use against you in court. In today’s Advisor, her do’s and don’ts. Employment law attorneys aren’t allowed to say “document,” West says; they are always required to say “document, document, document.” There’s a good reason […]