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Increase the Impact of Your Compensation System

So, what’s your problem? We’re not trying to be confrontational but asking a sincere question. If you’re one who designs, processes, or transacts your company’s compensation program, it isn’t a stretch to think that you may have a few headaches.

Lawsuit Avoidance Rule #1—Reject Troublemakers Up Front

The best and easiest way to avoid employee lawsuits is—duh—don’t hire troublemakers. But that’s easier said than done. First, there’s the positive side—hire people that fit, that are well-qualified, and that will be happy in their jobs. “Happy people don’t sue,” one expert says. And there’s the other side of the coin—avoiding the troublemakers who […]

‘Have Your Employees’ Backs’ on Back Safety Training

Preventing back injuries in your workplace is one of the most effective cost-control and productivity-enhancing efforts you can undertake. Training workers in back safety is an important part of that effort. Preventing back injuries To avoid injuring your back in the first place, use these back safety techniques: Adjust your workstation to fit. If your […]

Create ‘One-Company’ Culture to Boost Revenue and Profits

A new study by CEB, a best practice insight and technology company, has identified the next big driver of corporate productivity: creating a “one-company” culture that requires employees to become “enterprise contributors.” Click here to read more.

The Future of Work Is All ‘Talk’

Consumers today are hot on conversational artificial intelligence (AI), whether they’re shopping online via mobile-based digital assistants (e.g., Siri or The Google Assistant) or tapping their smart speaker (e.g., the Amazon Echo or Google Home) for flight updates, travel tips, and local weather information for their travel destinations.

Steve Jobs, ‘product guys’ and ‘sales guys,’ and your payroll

I have a complicated relationship with thick biographies. Intellectually, I know I should sit there and wade my way through the thick prose devoted to men and women of great consequence. In a way, it’s like broccoli: “Go on, eat it – it’ll be good for you, and what do you mean, ‘I’m not hungry’?”  […]

Cheer or fear

Litigation value: $0.00 for a drunk, passed out (and likely concussed) Daryl, but Jim has a cause of action for battery against Belsnickel. My colleague, Doug Hall, wrote about the “Dwight Christmas” episode three weeks ago when it first aired.  I agree with him that employers need to be careful with their holiday social events to minimize potential […]

EEOC Takes Aggressive Pill from NLRB

We’ve been writing about a newly aggressive NLRB, and now here comes the EEOC. EEOC.gov’s home page now features lawsuit summaries that close with an appeal for wronged applicants or employees to contact the agency and, presumably, join the class of litigants. Here are three typical pleas from eeoc.gov: Texas Roadhouse Litigation “The EEOC has […]

Wage and Hour: Were Bonus Deductions for Workers’ Comp Losses and Cash Shortages Illegal? Exercise Caution with Deductions

In calculating profit-based bonuses for certain store employees, Ralph’s Grocery Co. subtracts the store’s workers’ compensation costs as well as cash and merchandise shortages. David Swanson, a former Ralph’s store manager in Southern California, filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and other employees challenging these bonus deductions. He claimed the grocer violated […]

Election dynamics in the workplace: Free speech? ‘You’re fired’

by Courtney Bru None of us were immune from this year’s presidential election dynamics. Disrespect and name-calling have seemed more prevalent than policy discussions. The election was highly polarizing, potentially pitting employee against employee.  In the midst of it all, employees were often misinformed about their “free speech rights” in the workplace. A recent instance from Georgia […]