Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Last week, we shared an SBT reader’s suggestion about what to ask a job applicant. The reader suggested asking, “What’s your favorite fish?” The interview question is meant to stump the candidate. “Anyone who doesn’t stop and think about the question, but simply comes up with something, may be someone who often jumps to conclusions […]
By: Elaine Quayle We at HRSBT often report on workers’ compensation scandals but have never yet reported that the scandal was about the judge. Well, man does bite dog! Media outlets report a WC judge in Oklahoma knew he was not being reappointed. Contemplating being out of work, he met with an attorney for lunch […]
Editor’s Note: Dan invited former Tennessee Employment Law Letter editor John Phillips to share his memories of business colleague and “lasting friend” Lee Smith. by John Phillips In March of 1986, I started The Tennessee Employment Law Update, a monthly newsletter. Some lawyers subscribed to the newsletter, but it was primarily designed for HR professionals. […]
Concerns are mounting in the United States about the increase in retirement plan “leakage” — hardship early withdrawals and loans being taken against such plans during tough economic times. As more Americans deplete their retirement savings to meet emergency expenses resulting from long-term unemployment, tightened credit or high medical expenses, policy makers are seeking ways […]
More than half of employees in a recent study reported high levels of stress. How are employers responding, given the impact on employees’ health, productivity, and morale?
President-Elect Barack Obama has chosen former South Dakota Senator Tom Daschle as his Secretary of Health and Human Services and health care czar. Daschle lays out his ideas about how to fix the ailing U.S. health care system in his book Critical: What We Can Do About the Health-Care Crisis, which was published in February […]
Even the most well-intentioned employers cannot anticipate every potential workplace scenario and provide advance training on how to react in each situation. That’s why it is important to be aware of training-related issues that crop up at other workplaces and take proactive steps in response.Two recent complaints in New Jersey provide such a learning opportunity. […]
By Gregory J. Wartman A Pennsylvania federal court has ruled that an employer doesn’t have to withhold federal payroll taxes from a settlement payment resolving a discrimination claim under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The court reasoned that because the FMLA settlement proceeds weren’t wages, they weren’t subject to federal withholdings.
In any tight labor market, talent spotting and the hunt for the perfect employee are always challenging. Companies must go above and beyond to not only find the right fit from a cultural and skills standpoint, but they must also ensure that the checks and balances are in place to retain top-performing employees. We must […]
The performance appraisal process offers great benefits to both employees and the organization. These concepts may help your supervisors do the best job of it. Yesterday’s Daily Advisor article listed a number of mistakes supervisors often make during performance appraisal meetings … things like discussing activities instead of results, getting emotionally involved, or simply talking […]