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HR, the People Who Keep Me from Doing What I Want to Do

Special from Atlanta–SHRM Annual Conference and Exhibition When people ask Hunter “Please Sue Me” Lott what he does for a living, he usually says he sells insurance.. “If I say, ‘I help companies stay out of court,’ they ask, ‘Are you a lawyer.’” “No, I’m HR,” I say. “That’s worse,” they say; “HR keeps me […]

Michigan to vote on employment initiatives

Michigan voters will decide the fate of two initiatives in the November 6 election that can change the climate toward collective bargaining and union organization in the state. One initiative–Proposal 2, dubbed the “Protect our Jobs” proposal–is a union-backed measure asking voters to pass a constitutional amendment guaranteeing workers the right to bargain collectively. If […]

‘I Didn’t Know You Wanted Me Here Every Day!’

Yesterday’s issue emphasized the necessity of sharing your attendance expectations with employees. Here are the key points that BLR’s popular 10-Minute HR Trainer suggests you stress in employee training on attendance. 1. Employer Expectations Regarding Attendance Regular attendance is a requirement of every employee’s job. It is important because: High absenteeism rates reduce productivity. Absenteeism […]

Too Much Sameness? Learn the Strengths of a Diverse Workforce

When employees share the same racial, ethnic, and religious heritage; come from the same educational background; hail from the same geographic area; experience the same kind of upbringing; and otherwise think alike, they may be on the same page while tackling work projects, but all that sameness can lead to missed opportunities.

Your Company Benefits When It Supports the Community

Forgive me for bragging, but I’ve got a group of fantastic coworkers. Many of them were in action again this morning. You see, some of our people volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House here in Nashville today. As I write this, they’ve already served breakfast to the families staying there and another team will be […]

Bullies in the Workplace, Not Just the Playground

Sixteen states have proposed legislation introduced under the title “The Healthy Workplace Bill.”  In 2009, 12 states’ legislatures considered bullying bills but none passed them. The legislation is intended to stop workplace bullying but hasn’t yet been made law in any state. Keep up with the latest changes in state employment laws with the monthly […]

U.S. Supreme Court Punts on ACA Contraceptive Mandate Case

By BLR Legal Editor Jennifer Carsen, JD For the past several months, court-watchers have been waiting for the Supremes to resolve a split among the circuits on the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA’s) contraceptive mandate. Today, the court released its long-awaited opinion—without ruling on the merits of the case.

Hot List: The Library Journal’s Best Business Books of 2009, Part 2

In its 133rd year of publication, Library Journal is the oldest and most respected publication covering the library field, with review sections evaluating nearly 7000 books annually, along with hundreds of audiobooks, videos, databases, web sites, and systems that libraries buy.  Recently, Library Journal released its list of the 32 best business books of 2009, […]

‘Honest Suspicion’ of FMLA Abuse Justifies Firing, Courts Rule

A multibillion-dollar corporation that hired a private investigator to combat excessive employee absenteeism and suspected FMLA abuse withstood an interference and retaliation claim by a fired factory worker in a case brought before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The case is Scruggs v. Carrier Corp., No. 11-3420 (Aug. 3, 2012). Daryl Scruggs, who […]

New Wisconsin Electronic Discovery Rules Go Into Effect

by Timothy D. Edwards On January 1, 2011, new rules for the discovery (pretrial exchange of evidence) of electronically stored information went into effect in Wisconsin. One of the most significant changes is a “meet-and-confer” provision requiring the parties to address issues pertaining to electronically stored information early in the litigation. Back in April 2010, […]