Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which stands for COBRA, has been around for a long time. Still, it remains the source of thorny compliance problems and a fertile ground for litigation. The sheer complexity of the COBRA scheme, and the timing issues involved, can throw off even the most diligent and conscientious employer. COBRA […]
Beyond health insurance and retirement benefits (covered in previous surveys), the number one perk provided by the employers responding to our survey was paid holidays, with 91% percent of them offering it. Other highlights: Flextime is offered by 53% of respondents. About 33% relax their dress code in the summer, at least for some employees. […]
Throughout the winter, many people across the U.S. go days or weeks without seeing the sun. Particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, they experience weeks of dark and dreary weather combined with bitter, unrelenting cold. The chilly gloom negatively impacts mental health, sometimes leading to seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In fact, an American Psychiatric Association […]
I am reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, in which Yuval Noah Harari posits, among other things, that the “Agricultural Revolution,” which created the first stable, large civilized communities, was a disaster, with the successful farmer working much longer and harder than her nomadic hunter-gatherer tribal ancestors, a day spent running through woods replaced by plowing, […]
Discipline is one of the most basic and important supervisory roles, yet it is often handled poorly, sometimes with disastrous results. What goes wrong? How many times have you encountered these mistakes: Employees disciplined for doing something they have a legal right to do—like take intermittent FMLA or make an EEO complaint Inconsistent discipline that […]
by John S. Gannon Employers routinely ask employees to provide adequate documentation demonstrating that they can perform the essential functions of a job. That documentation may come in the form of physical or mental examinations—commonly referred to as fitness-for-duty examinations. However, problems arise when an employer disagrees with the physician who certifies the employee as […]
Ever been fooled in a job interview? Some applicants interview well but then turn out to be disappointments on the job. Others might seem iffy during the interview process but become star employees. The uncertainty inherent in the hiring process has led many employers to devise ways to test candidates in real world situations, either […]
When GE execs wanted to brighten up their black-and-white training materials for their Leadership Practices Program for Women, they did so literally—with color. The program, administered by two women executives (who job share), seeks to address and provide insight into the unique concerns of talented, “high-potential” female employees. The facilitators, Nancy Schumann and Sandy Sullivan, […]
Gender-affirming care allows individuals to align their outward, physical traits with their inner gender identity. This care can include a range of social, psychological, behavioral, and medical treatments to help individuals develop harmony between their mental, social, emotional, and physical states. This type of care is recognized as medically necessary by major medical organizations, including […]
Are you a cat person or a dog person? Around the office, I’m known as a crazy cat lady (I dressed up as one for Halloween a few years ago, and the title stuck). I only have two cats. I don’t think that constitutes as being “crazy,” and to be honest, I like llamas more […]