Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Cathy Chandler The workplace can play an essential role in helping individuals maintain positive mental health. However, it also can be a stressful environment that may contribute to mental health issues and illness. In a 2009 study three out of 10 Canadian employees reported that their work environments were not psychologically safe or healthy. […]
This year’s worse than average flu season has some employers wondering what they can do to help keep workers healthy. Just one flu-infected worker, after all, can infect the entire workplace and bring productivity to a grinding halt. Employers have, of course, been through this kind of scare before. In 2009, when worries about a […]
This article series will cover managing medical certifications under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In the last installment we covered the authentication, clarification, and second opinions surrounding medical certification, here we’ll go over recertification. The FMLA regulations offer procedures for recertification.
The Trump administration announced a final rule creating a new category of federal workers who would have fewer job protections and be easier to fire. The new rule implements an Executive Order from 2025 that could diminish or eliminate venerated due process protections for 50,000 employees at federal agencies. The creation of the new category […]
As a California employer, you’re already well-acquainted with the high costs associated with workplace injuries.
Audience response systems engage learners in training and provide trainers with instant feedback that they can use to enhance the learning experience, says Ron Smrek, vice president of Sales/Corporate Government with Turning Technologies (www.TurningTechnologies.com). When using an audience response system, trainers can poll learners, for example, about demographic information, their knowledge of a particular topic, […]
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) continues to befuddle, annoy, and distract every HR manager. In today’s Advisor, explanations of the most confusing aspects of leave management. The number one FMLA question involves eligibility for leave. "Twelve months and 1,250 hours" should be the clearest of guidelines, but it’s not quite so simple. Let’s […]
By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady Today, readers talk back. Many agreed with my comments on the virtues of more frequent performance appraisals, although three readers don’t think every 6 months is often enough. Here is a sampling of your responses: Managers Realize the Value “My organization has been doing formal 6-month performance appraisals […]
If two employees get into a scuffle at work and one is hurt, you might assume that the injured employee’s only recourse against you is to file a workers’ compensation claim. But a San Diego jury’s staggering verdict demonstrates that if you don’t respond appropriately to an altercation, you could find yourself on the losing […]
Our management has asked me to explore the possibility of outsourcing substantial parts of our HR function. (They’re not singling us out—other functions are doing the analysis, too). How can we tell what to outsource, and to whom? — Tammy, HR director in Cupertino