Author: Stephen Bruce, PhD, PHR

The Courtroom Shouldn’t Be Recordkeeping’s First Test

Litigation is the ultimate test of the adequacy of an employer’s recordkeeping practices, says attorney Allen Kato of the San Francisco office of Fenwick and West LLP. Of course, the courtroom isn’t the best place to find out that records are inadequate, incomplete, or nonexistent. Record retention is a daunting task for employers because there […]

When Incivility Occurs, Hammer It

Yesterday’s Advisor covered calculating the cost of incivility on mental wellness (it’s high) and 6 tips for eliminating incivility. Today, we offer more tips, and we take a look at a broader wellness program. (Go here for tips 1—6) 7. When Incivility Occurs, Hammer It. If you ignore incivility, say Christine Pearson and Christine Porath, […]

How Much Is Bad Behavior Costing Your Company?

Workplace incivility is an often overlooked, expensive, yet treatable malady, says the new book, The Cost of Bad Behavior. Authors Christine Pearson and Christine Porath show how to calculate the cost and what to do about eliminating the undesirable behavior. What Is Workplace Incivility? Pearson and Porath offer several examples of incivility: Taking credit for […]

Even Rulebreakers Must Be Reimbursed, Court Rules

You know that employees are entitled to reimbursement for work-related expenses. You’ve set up policies and procedures for employees to report expenses and request reimbursement. But what if employees don’t follow your rules? According to a recent federal District Court opinion, that doesn’t matter: They’re still entitled to be reimbursed. 400+ pages of state-specific, easy-read […]

How to Deal with Difficult Employees? Don’t Hire Them

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady The best way to deal with difficult employees is to avoid hiring them, advises attorney Dan Forman. BLR® founder and CEO Bob Brady says that while Forman is half-joking, he makes the serious point that difficult employees usually start out that way. They do not become different people […]

May We Require Masks or Telework to Fight the Flu?

Yesterday’s Advisor featured the EEOC’s advice for avoiding ADA problems when preparing for swine flu. Today, we’ll get the agency’s advice about work practices, and an introduction to a special program for smaller HR departments. Here’s more from the EEOC’s Q&A: During a pandemic, may we require our employees to adopt infection control practices? EEOC: […]

Surprise H-1B Immigration Inspections Are Underway

Earlier this year, the United States Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced that it would be stepping up its immigration enforcement efforts. This week, the federal agency began its surprise investigation program, which will result in the unannounced inspection of more than 40,000 employers nationwide.

Does ADA Block Swine Flu Inquiries?

Everyone’s wondering what to do about swine flu, although some surveys show that companies haven’t done much yet. When you do act, you could run smack into the ADA if you’re not careful. Among other things, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulates when and how employers may require a medical examination or request disability-related […]

Does Your Website Engage or Enrage Potential Candidates?

In yesterday’s Advisor, we offered Gerry Crispin’s examples of great recruiting websites. Today, Crispin evaluates the visitor’s experience on your recruiting website, and we look at a program for dealing with the most basic recruiting tool of all, the essential job description. For a good example of a company that is getting its branding and […]

Your Website, the Soul of Your Recruiting: Sinners Repent!

Most people look at the WOW factor when evaluating an organization’s career website, says Gerry Crispin, but that’s not the point. “Say you see a site filled with impressive technological tricks. That’s cool,” says Crispin, “but does it work?” The factor you really care about, he says, is the quality of candidates that the site […]