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Employee Development: Using it as a Retention Tool

Some employers fear spending on employee development, citing the risk that the employee might take those new skills and leave. This fear is pervasive. It affects decisions not only for new hires, but for long-term employees wanting to advance their skills. This can become a catch-22, however, since employees who are not given opportunities to […]

‘Other Duties as Assigned’ Won’t Cut It in 2009

Writing job descriptions that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is tricky. In your efforts to be clear, you can also be exclusionary. Here are tips for handling this delicate duty. Pritchard’s tips for job descriptions are included in an article on HRTutor.com. Do You Have to Have Job Descriptions? No, says […]

The Art of Asking Questions at Meetings

Ready for another meeting? Instead of dreading the prospect, consider each meeting an opportunity to find new solutions and help your organization. You can do this by staying engaged and asking all the right questions.

Infographic: 2014 Workplace Policies & HR Policy Practices

Nearly 90% of the 2,662 HR professionals that took our 2014 Policy Practices survey reported that their organization had formalized employee workplace policies. How are policies distributed to employees? Do they include “at will” disclaimers? Are employees required to confirm receipt? How effectively are policies enforced? How often are they updated? How has recent “ban […]

Appraisals: Not Legally Required, But Legally Recommended

Don’t tell the CEO who wants to terminate without documentation, "You can’t terminate." Say, "If there is a legitimate non-discriminatory reason for this termination, you can do it, but in the absence of documentation, there is substantial risk. I would prefer not to be married to this employee in lengthy litigation. Maybe if we do […]

Don’t Mess with Retaliation

The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals (which covers Texas) recently issued a published decision, a rarity since most opinions are unpublished and therefore can’t be cited to courts as precedent. It was also a per curiam opinion, i.e., a three-judge panel decided the appeal but no particular judge took credit for writing it.

Responding to insufficient FMLA/CFRA medical certifications and suspected fraud

Most employers require medical certification when administering FMLA or CFRA leave of absence requests. But the certification process isn’t always as cut and dry, especially in California. For instance, what should you do if the documentation from a healthcare provider is vague, incomplete, or ambiguous? What can you legally do if the documentation doesn’t provide […]

Failure to Provide FMLA Notice to Employee Costs Employer $275K

A federal district court judge approved a consent decree requiring Staples to pay $275,000 for failing to notify an employee of his Family and Medical Leave Act leave rights to care for his critically ill wife over a period of two years. The U.S. Department of Labor contended that the office supply chain’s failure to […]