Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
In April, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) published guidance clarifying the definition of highly compensated employees (HCEs), a key concept for nondiscrimination testing of both retirement plans and cafeteria plans.
These are stressful times for everyone, and in a work environment where mental illness was already a rising concern for many organizations, the COVID-19 crisis is creating new concerns. Employees are anxious not only about their health and the health of their loved ones but also about the economy, child care, and their job security.
Do not include the following in your documentation, says Wobst: Personal opinions. Rumors or speculation about the employee’s personal life. Theories about why the employee behaves a certain way. (Don’t practice psychiatry without a license.) For example, don’t call an employee “crazy.” Instead, document behaviors. Legal conclusions. (Don’t practice law without a license.) For example, […]
The nation’s unemployment rate is at a near record low, with more open jobs than candidates to take them. And technology is a sector with some of the fewest people available for all the vacant positions. This tight job market is great for IT workers, but it is stressful for hiring managers struggling to keep […]
The concept of a four-day workweek has garnered significant attention, with proponents highlighting benefits such as improved work-life balance and increased productivity. However, not everyone is sold on the idea. Several criticisms and challenges have emerged regarding the adoption of a four-day workweek. It’s not just business leaders raising concerns. Academics, economists, and others also […]
As we deal with the coronavirus pandemic’s fallout, employees everywhere are craving security. Nearly 1 million people have applied for unemployment benefits each week since March, raising the total number of unemployed workers in the United States to more than 16 million, at the time of this writing. These figures are grim, but they point to an […]
HR’s watchdog agencies—the DOL, EEOC, and OFCCP—are looking at a new variant on discrimination they call “steering.” It’s not immediate discrimination, but long-range discrimination. What Is Steering? “Steering” may be charged when people in a protected class are “steered” to jobs with lower long-term potential than other similar jobs. For example, in a grocery store, […]
Does your organization offer relocation assistance for employees? Many employers have opted to do so, especially in a tight labor market where some positions are difficult to fill in a specific geographic location.
Are there specific words and phrases that career-minded managers should avoid at all costs? Yes indeed! says Darlene Price, author of the book Well Said! Presentations and Conversations That Get Results. She offers 10 phrases that you should never utter. To successfully communicate, says Price (www.wellsaid.com), you have to learn to present yourself and your […]
HR professionals need to help managers coach and develop their employees. The goal is continued improvement and innovation as well as remediation. And looking to their own houses, the HR professional also uses technology and other means to continuously improve the HR function itself. Next up: Skill #8 – Does HR Have A Strategic Role?