Category: HR Management & Compliance

There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.

Legal Technicalities That Can Sidetrack Your Wellness Program

Everyone’s concerned about healthcare costs, and that means most are offering wellness programs. But rather than offering “informational” wellness programs, more organizations want to offer mandatory programs that demand results. It’s legal to do so, but … For the money you spend on it, wouldn’t you want a wellness program that goes beyond information and […]

6-Month Appraisals? Not Often Enough, Say Some Readers

By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Today, readers talk back. Many agreed with my comments on the virtues of more frequent performance appraisals, although three readers don’t think every 6 months is often enough. Here is a sampling of your responses: Managers Realize the Value “My organization has been doing formal 6-month performance appraisals […]

It’s 9 A.M. Do You Know Where Your HR Records Are?

In the last Advisor, we covered issues surrounding electronic recordkeeping. Today, more principles plus how to get your questions answered at a timely BLR webinar on this increasingly relevant HR topic. Electronic recordkeeping is wonderful in many ways, but the pitfalls are varied and deep, as we saw in yesterday’s issue. To skirt those danger […]

Why Workers’ Comp Claim Forms Must Be Provided Promptly

A new case underscores the need for employers to bone up on the rules regarding when injured workers must be provided with a workers’ comp claim form. In the case, a California appeals court rejected an argument that David Carls, a sign painter for the Claremont Colleges in Southern California, should be denied workers’ compensation […]

Sabotage in the American Workplace: Anecdotes of Dissatisfaction, Mischief and Revenge

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka reviews the book Sabotage in the American Workplace: Anecdotes of Dissatisfaction, Mischief and Revenge by Martin Sprouce. Review recounts employees’ tales of pranks in the workplace. I came across a book on the remainder table in our favorite bookstore called Sabotage in the American Workplace by Martin Sprouse published by […]

‘Bank Loses Data on 4.5 Million Customers!’ Is Electronic HR Recordkeeping for You?

Electronic recordkeeping saves trees, office space, and maybe time, but security and retention issues come along with it. Let’s explore them. We all know the advantages of electronic recordkeeping. You get quick, simultaneous access in as many places as there are computers; you can search by keyword; and you have the capacity to manipulate data […]

Are You Clear on This Week’s Minimum Wage Changes, Exemptions, Independent Contractors?

Wage and hour questions should be simple, but every comp manager knows they’re not. What to do … especially when you have to depend on low-level supervisors to manage things? First, let’s finish explaining the minimum wage change, then talk about how to keep comp in compliance. In yesterday’s Advisor, we covered states affected by […]

HOT LIST: BusinessWeek’s Bestseller List

BusinessWeek ranks business books that are the most recent bestsellers and provides a short summary. 1. StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup’s Now, Discover Your Strengths by Tom Rath. Are you unsure where your true talents lie? Do you feel that you are both a person who gets […]

Can You Help Us Rewrite Our Dress Code?

We’re in the process of rewriting our employee handbook, and we want to modify our employee appearance policy. What do we need to consider? We want our employees to look professional, but we don’t want to get caught in a lawsuit. — Ronald W., San Jose