Month: February 2007

Drugs & Alcohol: Do I Have to Interview an Applicant Who Takes Medical Marijuana?

One of our current employees has referred a friend for employment under our employee referral program, which rewards employees who refer applicants if we end up hiring them. The employee mentioned that the friend uses marijuana for medical purposes. I don’t really want to consider this person because we are a drug-free workplace, but I’m […]

Employee Leave: Update on SF Sick Leave Ordinance

On Feb. 5, 2007, San Francisco’s controversial paid sick leave law went into effect. Under the new law, all employees working in the City and County of San Francisco accrue paid sick leave at the rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 72 hours (or 40 hours for […]

Wage and Hour: Loan Company to Pay Millions in Overtime Dispute

E-Loan Inc. has agreed to pay out up to $13.6 million to settle a wage and hour class action charging overtime and meal period violations with respect to approximately 500 mortgage loan consultants in the company’s Pleasanton and Dublin offices. Employees who worked in those locations from December 2001 through June 2006 are eligible to […]

Discrimination: OFCCP Reports Record Financial Recoveries

The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) has reported that in 2006, it recovered a record-breaking $51,525,235 million on behalf of a record 15,273 workers. The OFCCP enforces various federal employment discrimination laws with respect to government contractors. The 2006 figures represent a 14 percent increase over recoveries in 2005, and a 78 percent […]

An HR Professional’s 5 Biggest Mistakes

An HR consultant who used to be a line manager describes the services he needed most … and least … from his HR partners. In preparing Daily Advisor, we read a lot of material by outside HR consultants. It’s good stuff, but because most have always been HR professionals, their view is largely from one […]

6 Tips to Improve Workplace Communication

To better communicate with bosses, colleagues and customers, match your message to your audience, and don’t forget the nonverbal skills, says a new DVD plus book program. A recent Daily Advisor listed the ability to communicate effectively as one of the secrets to success in any organization. We discussed it in terms of reaching senior […]

Get a Seat at the Executive Table … and Know What to Do With It!

To win HR a place in senior management, career experts say learn the overall business … and express yourself in the language that senior executives speak. If there’s anything HR professionals have asked for again and again over the years, it’s that elusive “seat at the executive table.” Well, guess what? With more organizations realizing […]

Playing at Work and Working at Play

by Boyd Byers Every office has at least one. The guy who stockpiles Star Wars action figures in his cubicle. Or the gal with the Hello Kitty screen saver who jams to the same music as her teenage daughter. Twenty years ago, they would have been considered immature and unprofessional. Today, they’re more likely to […]

Dwight on SNL

Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) is hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend. I’m looking forward to watching it. I’ll post early next week if there’s anything on the show that relates to the blog.

Conducting a Good-Faith Workplace Investigation

Employers all know the importance of investigating allegations of misconduct, discrimination, and harassment in the workplace. But even so, that practice sometimes falls by the wayside when times get busy. Here’s a look at a recent Tenth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision on workplace investigations. Workplace Investigations: The HR Manager’s Step-by-Step Guide Making mischief […]