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Twenty-one African-American workers at a Wonder Bread factory in San Francisco have sued the company for discrimination, saying they were denied promotions, given the worst shifts and subjected to racial slurs. They also claim that not one African-American is in a management position. Wonder’s parent company, Interstate Brands Corp., denies the charges and says it […]
At this time of year, we remember King Wenceslas, the 10th-century monarch who took food and firewood to the poor. That small decency was long ago, but author and company CEO Steve Harrison reminds us that small decencies, day after day, still build great companies. A CEO is the business leader, but a CEO is […]
The U.S. Senate confirmed Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court Thursday in a 63-37 vote. As expected, the senators voted along party lines, with only five Republicans voting to confirm President Barack Obama’s nominee. The final step in Kagan’s road to the Supreme Court will be a White House swearing-in ceremony. Kagan will become […]
Resources for Humans managing editor Celeste Blackburn reviews Natalie Holder-Winfield’s book Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce: New Rules for a New Generation. In the foreword to Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce, Natalie Holder-Winfield reveals how she left a successful practice with a well-known law firm to join eight other women to create a […]
by Cathy Chandler Until recently, Ontario was the only jurisdiction in Canada without a specific policy dealing with the effect of pre-existing conditions on claims for workers’ compensation. That has now changed. On November 1, 2014, a new policy of the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB), Pre-Existing Conditions, came into force. The goal […]
Our company has decided that it would be beneficial to offer employees the opportunity to work from home. Before we enter into work-at-home arrangements with employees, we want to have a written telecommuting policy in place. What should we cover? —Andrew W., Human Resources Specialist, Santa Cruz Telecommuting can be a cost-effective alternative to […]
If employers could consult a crystal ball to see what the workplace will be like 10, 20, or more years down the road, they might see an older workforce in their future. As many aging baby boomers decide to continue working for a few — or several — years past the traditional retirement age, employers […]
Last issue we talked about Imus, Dog, and supervisors who are “diversity dinosaurs.” But how about the case where your dinosaur is also your best producer? Here’s help from a program that can keep the productivity, while losing the negative attitudes. Initially, it sounds like a difficult choice—your rules on discrimination and harassment or your […]
by Mark Adams At first glance, nothing significant came out of Louisiana’s midterm elections. There were no Tea Party candidates to create excitement. Republicans and Democrats each lost a U.S. House seat and won a seat they hadn’t controlled, so we didn’t contribute to the change of control in the House. However, the Republican takeover […]
ERISA can be the key to upholding benefit decisions based on plan language before money is paid, but it may be far less helpful once overpaid money goes out the door, particularly when the plan is indemnity-based with no provider contracts. This situation became evident in Int’l Longshore & Warehouse Union v. Sharp Surgery Center, […]