Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
I’m confident in this prediction: If you’ve ever held an office job, you will love Office Space. (If you haven’t seen it, get it now.) Anyone can find something in the movie that resonates. Maybe you connect with the guy who can’t bring himself to do more than 15 minutes of real work a week. […]
by Megan Rolland It may be convenient and easy to use, but you cannot find the answer to everything on the Internet. As one Canadian employer recently learned, Google research on a medical condition is not a proper substitute for individualized accommodation.
by Stacey Rose Harris If you are like most HR professionals, you are inundated with résumés from applicants looking for jobs at your company. Sifting through the summaries of job applicants’ credentials and experience can be a Herculean task. When you find the perfect applicant with a stellar background, your efforts may seem worthwhile. Unfortunately, […]
Employment policies: Do they keep organizations running smoothly? Or are they trouble waiting to happen? The answer to both questions is: sometimes. Human resources professionals spend a lot of time working on policies they hope will lead to productive, fair workplaces. Often, though, policies can cause more problems than they solve. Adding to the dilemma, […]
Awards season is upon us and soon all of Hollywood will gather to celebrate its most talented actors and actresses, as determined by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Who will win the Oscar? While this question is being volleyed about and fiercely debated among Internet pundits and armchair critics, the nominees themselves […]
by Carla Oliver Ontario recently broadened the definition of “worker” under its Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA). The broadened definition is consistent with a trend across Canada.
by Richard Reinhardt Unscheduled absenteeism costs American businesses billions of dollars every year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). There are myriad potential costs to take into account, including: Overtime; Paid sick days; Use of temporary or “relief/reserve” employees; Reduced productivity; Poor quality of goods or services resulting from replacement workers’ inexperience […]
by Gregory L. Silverman In 2013, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched the Temporary Worker Initiative (TWI) to focus on preventing injuries and illnesses among temporary workers. OSHA recently released a policy memorandum addressed to its field staff reminding them of the agency’s long-standing enforcement policy for temporary workers. The memo specifically attempts […]
The air is bitterly cold, especially here in Minnesota. The kids are back in school, and the Christmas decorations have all been put away. For followers of pop culture, those signs can mean only one thing: Now you finally have time to see all those prestigious, blockbuster movies that came out in late 2014. Business […]
by Hannah Roskey It is well understood that Canadian employers may be vicariously liable for the actions of their employees when the employees are acting within the scope of their duties. But surely not if the employee acts against the instructions of the employer? Maybe so, according to a recent panel of the Alberta Court […]