Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
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.
On September 5, Indiana’s right-to-work law was declared unconstitutional by a state trial court judge. On Thursday, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller filed a notice of appeal in the case. Lake County Superior Court Judge John M. Sedia ruled that the right-to-work law violated the Indiana Constitution by requiring unions to provide services without payment. […]
Employers in California – and employers doing business in California – need to be aware of a new law that took effect January 1, 2012, that changed the way employers conduct employment credit checks in California: Assembly Bill 22 (AB 22). AB22 regulates the use of credit report checks of job applicants and current employees by employers for employment purposes and requires certain written notice to the consumer of the specific reason for obtaining the report.
by Kevin C. McCormick Maryland’s Reasonable Accommodations for Pregnant Workers Act goes into effect October 1, meaning Maryland employers with 15 or more employees must provide reasonable accommodations to employees who experience a disability because of a pregnancy. Basically, the new law requires employers to treat pregnancies in much the same way disabilities covered by […]
The material in today’s Advisor is adapted from BLR’s 10-Minute HR Trainer session, “Telephone Etiquette.” Don’t forget to train employees to follow proper etiquette when receiving phone calls. Here are several best practices for answering the telephone. Answer promptly if you are not relying on voicemail pickup. Greet the caller with a friendly tone, identifying […]
Leave policy administration under the FMLA and the ADA presents numerous challenges to employers. Following is a “Do” and “Do Not” list based on the outcomes of 10 interference and retaliation claims by aggrieved employees that the courts have heard in the last five months. Do see if short-term disability benefits are granted or denied to […]
Three main goals for your telephone training are that trainees will learn to: Understand the importance of proper telephone etiquette. Identify guidelines for speaking and listening on the phone. Follow proper etiquette when making and receiving calls. The telephone is an essential tool for conducting business—just think about how many times a day you use […]
Employers, pay heed. A recent court outcome — and hefty monetary award for the employee — reiterate the fact that alcoholism is a disability protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Following a five-day trial a federal jury in Pennsylvania awarded more than $109,000 to a cook whose rights, it found, had been violated when […]
An employee’s attorney must pay $5,000 for omitting important information in an Americans with Disabilities Act lawsuit, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled. In Kempter v. Michigan Bell Telephone Co. , No. 13-1036 (6th Cir. Aug. 26, 2013), the plaintiff’s attorney failed to mention that that his client, Cathie Kempter, had been permanently restricted […]
There are three key ways the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) differs from other discrimination statutes, says Attorney Joan Farrell: the layers of analysis required, the obligation to consider reasonable accommodation, and the added prohibition against association discrimination. Layers of Analysis The ADA requires a several step analysis, but it is not hard if you […]
Conflict in the workplace is common, so effective conflict resolution strategies for HR need to be common as well. Conflict is any workplace disagreement that disrupts the workflow. It is often a situation in which people perceive a threat; they may perceive this threat as physical, emotional, or a grab for power or status. It’s […]