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.
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 […]
California has some specific regulations that relate to the employment relationship—and these should be clarified in employee handbooks or in written notices. There are also some laws that affect the employment relationship, and employers need to keep them in mind, even if they’re not required in employee handbooks. Here are some examples, which will each be explored in further detail below
Self-insured employers may not have to report the portion of the premium they pay, because that is not needed to determine if an individual is covered by “minimum essential coverage.” That’s one of a number of reporting items removed or reduced in IRS proposed health care reform rules detailing and streamlining reports on coverage offered […]
CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden called the effect of excessive alcohol consumption devastating. He added, “In addition to injury, illness, disease, and death, it costs our society billions of dollars through reduced work productivity, increased criminal justice expenses, and higher healthcare costs.” The study says the economic burden on states is huge—an average of $3 […]
by Elizabeth A. Diller and James P. McElligott Jr. Employer-sponsored health plans subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) must be in compliance with the final rule under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) by September 23. […]
FMLA abuse is a frustration for many employers. How can an employer continue to provide employees their protected leave while reducing the chances that it will be used improperly? One way that employers can reduce FMLA abuse is training. By properly training both supervisors and coworkers about how FMLA works, the employer increases the number […]