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.

Are Your Supervisors Trained to Handle Tough Decisions?

Even organizations with the most rules and regulations get into trouble, Schickman says. It doesn’t matter how big you are, or how much money you have, or how many rules you have—if the supervisor doesn’t do the job, you’re in trouble. Schickman, who is a partner with Freeland Cooper & Foreman, LLP in San Francisco, […]

Why CFOs Do Not Trust HR and What to Do

Special from Chicago—SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition CFOs are often reclusive and cautious, and HR avoids them in general and knows little about them, says consultant Karl J. Ahlrichs, SPHR. But HR isn’t going to be successful without being able to sell ideas to the CFO. Why is the relationship with the CFO so important? […]

FMLA Absences Up, Some Industries Hit Harder Than Others

While leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act can be troublesome for any employer, it is particularly disruptive for manufacturers, call centers and health care organizations whose operations depend on fixed schedules, according to a recent ComPsych Corporation white paper. FMLA absences are on the rise, says FMLA Source, a ComPsych company, and some […]

Avoid Gender Discrimination when Implementing Dress Codes

Employers may implement whatever dress guidelines they feel are appropriate, as long as they do not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, disability, or any other federally protected status. Nonetheless, it may be best to avoid imposing rigid or highly restrictive dress requirements. Overly restrictive requirements may create resentment among employees and negatively […]

Nonexempt versus exempt employees in California: Q&A

How should a California employer handle an exempt employee who works a partial day? What about exempt employees who do not meet the salary requirements for their exemption? The details around nonexempt versus exempt employees in California can be complex, and getting them wrong can be costly. In a recent CER webinar, Marc L. Jacuzzi […]

BLR’s 2013–2014 Pay Budget Survey Data: How Do You Compare?

The nearly 700 participants in this year’s edition of BLR’s 2013–2014 Pay Budget Survey show 19.2% of employers awarding merit increases of up to 2.5% in 2013 and 42.7% awarding increases of more than 2.5%, with 3.6% awarding increases above 5% of base pay. What’s in the Survey Report? Here’s what you’ll find in the […]

How to Keep Employees Engaged on a Limited Training Budget

Careful planning and follow-up are essential to effective training and neither has to break your budget, according to Sharon Birkman Fink, president and CEO of Birkman International, Inc. “It’s more about creativity than a big budget.” When preparing for a training session, she recommends that trainers find appropriate jokes or funny cartoons to include in […]

Key Differences in US and Canada Employment Laws

Canada employment laws can be quite different to their counterparts in the United States. US employers with operations in Canada need to be well-versed in these differences to stay in legal compliance on both sides of the border. Here are some of the big-picture differences of which to be aware. Canada Employment Laws: Minimum Employment […]

Are You Creating “Thirsty” Learners Who Are Engaged in Training?

“There’s an age-old saying that ‘you can bring a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink,” says AmyK Hutchens, CEO of amyk inc. (www.amyk.com), a business strategy firm. Similarly, “you can’t force people to learn, but you can get them excited about it. You can get them thirsty. When they’re thirsty, they’ll drink.” […]