Most Popular

Facebook can be an unfriendly place

by Sara Parchello While the summer has come and gone, employees’ photos of their summer activities may not be. If employees post those photos on Facebook or similar sites, employers may be confronted with just what employees did with their time over the summer. And what if, on a day an employee called in sick, […]

Major Hiring Mistakes – and How to Avoid Them

“You can’t expect great employees to find you,” says top consultant, Gevity HR. Their research has identified five mistakes managers must avoid if they want to attract exceptional employees. Oh, that nasty feeling when you first realize that a new hire isn’t what you hoped—not up to doing the job, can’t motivate people, or whatever. […]

Deductions from Pay: When Exempt Employees Take Time Off for Personal Reasons, Can We Deduct from Their Pay?

When employees take time off of work for doctor’s appointments, we expect them to make up the time. If they don’t, we deduct from their paychecks for the hours they are gone. Some exempt employees have complained about this practice. I thought if they take personal time, we could deduct. Are our deductions legal? What […]

FLSA Exempt vs. Nonexempt Classification: Living in Lawsuit City

Overtime FLSA lawsuits are cropping up by the dozens—what’s behind them? And more important, what can you do to protect yourself? Which of your employees are exempt from being paid overtime? Which are not? Although the exemption rules are clearly laid out by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), in each exemption category—executive, administrative, computer, […]

new hire

How to Measure Onboarding Effectiveness

In a previous post, we discussed the importance of onboarding efforts for setting the stage for an employee’s successful career with an organization, as well as aiding in employee retention. To that end, we made the case for finding ways to measure the effectiveness of your employee onboarding programs.

Clip[pers] his tongue!

This past week the biggest story in the NBA was not the excitement of the first round of the playoffs, but the comments L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling allegedly made to his girlfriend. In an audiotape released Friday by TMZ, a man (allegedly Sterling) is heard chastising his girlfriend for associating with black people and […]

Are You Trying to Maintain Training Excellence with a Decreased Budget?

Like many other companies, the economic downturn forced Heavy Construction Systems Specialists Inc. (HCSS) to reduce its employee development budget over the last few years. But unlike some other companies, the Sugar Land, Texas, company was able to cut expenses without sacrificing learning for its 100+ employees. Doing More with Less With a little creativity, […]

The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t

Employment law attorney Mark I. Schickman reviews the book The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t by Robert Sutton. Review examines book’s assertion that there should be a rule against workplace bullying. Robert Sutton is a professor at the Stanford School of Engineering and the founder and codirector of […]

Workplace Security: You Can Take Preventive Action Against Unstable Employees Who Pose A Workplace Threat

Managing employees with mental disabilities can be challenging—especially when the workers pose a threat to others’ safety. If you take preemptive action, you can get sued under the Americans with Disabilities Act, but if you don’t, you risk the tragic consequences of a violent incident. Two recent cases provide guidance on how to handle potentially […]

Canada’s Supreme Court Awards RBC Dominion $1.5 Million from Branch Manager Who Defected to Merrill Lynch

by Brian Smeenk On October 9, 2008, the Supreme Court of Canada released its decision in RBC Dominion Securities v. Merrill Lynch Canada. The court restored an award of approximately $1.5 million in damages against a branch manager who had coordinated the defection of almost all his branch’s sales group from RBC to Merrill Lynch. […]