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Dangers of hiring unpaid interns

by Heather L. Devine Recent cases call attention to the risk of using unpaid interns. Employers that aren’t cautious may be found in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Recent decisions In a case many of you may have heard about, a U.S. district court judge concluded on June 11, 2013, that Fox […]

Microsoft Staffing Moves Raise Question of Merger

When companies are looking to quickly ramp up their human capital in a particular competency, one solution is to acquire or merge with an existing player in that field. While this option isn’t feasible for everyone—smaller businesses may not have the resources to purchase another company or even to afford the considerable legal and regulatory […]

Beauty and the Business School—What Is the Connection?

No, this HR Strange but True isn’t about a Disney® movie or beauty school dropout Frenchy in Grease. It’s about a fascinating new course at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business taught not by an MBA but by the artist in residence—Diane Ragsdale—that addresses a possible link between a concept of beauty and success […]

The High Cost of a Bad Hire

Now that the economy has turned around and unemployment is low, employers are finding themselves with fewer applicants for any given job opening. This can be problematic for several reasons, not the least of which is that it may mean the employer is less likely to find a candidate who is well-qualified for the role. […]

What Can Be Excluded from the ‘Regular Rate’?

Yesterday’s Advisor discussed types of compensation that must be included in the “regular rate” and the subsequent recalculation of overtime that must be done. Today, the five types of compensation that generally do not have to be included in when calculating the “regular rate” of pay, plus news of a timely webinar on pay practices. […]

EEOC actions spark employer wrath, scathing report from Senate panel

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)—long tasked with protecting workers from unfair treatment—is now coming under fire for what some claim is unfair treatment perpetrated by the agency itself. Republicans on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions issued the Minority Staff Report  “EEOC: An Agency on the Wrong Track? Litigation Failures, Misfocused Priorities, […]

Make Your Training More Effective Through Storytelling

People are naturally drawn to a great story. So why not use storytelling to liven up your training, keep your trainees’ attention, and make every session more engaging and effective? “Storytelling is the most effective way to truly engage listeners in any presentation,” says Brad Karsh, president of JB Training Solutions. For example, when Karsh […]

Employee Performance Reviews and Pretext

by Paul Ross As veterans of employment litigation can tell you, employment discrimination claims are rarely supported by direct evidence of discriminatory decision making. In the overwhelming majority of cases, employees support their entire case with circumstantial evidence. In short, they attempt to cast as much doubt as possible on the reasons offered by the […]