Month: November 2008

What Do the FMLA Changes Mean for You?

The long-awaited revisions to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) take effect on January 16, 2009. Here’s a look at some key provisions—and at an audio conference this Friday that will help you make sense of it all. The Department of Labor (DOL) says that many of the FMLA revisions were designed to clarify […]

Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better

Employment law attorney Michael Maslanka comments on the book Send: Why People Email so Badly and How to Do It Better by David Shipley and Will Schwalbe, highlighting the book’s advice on making business e-mail more personal. I just finished an interesting book, Send: Why People Email So Badly and How to Do It Better, […]

Mandatory Arbitration—As Good as It Sounds?

No more lawsuits, faster results, lower judgments—what’s not to like about mandatory arbitration? Not much, but there are issues to consider and pitfalls to avoid, says attorney Sandra Rappaport. Typical employee arbitration agreements require that all work-related disputes between the employer and employee be resolved by impartial arbitrators rather than by jury trial, says Rappaport, […]

Another Bad Hire? Train Your Managers to Avoid Common—and Disastrous—Hiring Mistakes

Yesterday’s Advisor  featured six of Susan M. Heathfield’s top eight “rookie” mistakes that even seasoned hiring managers make. Today we’ll cover the final two mistakes plus introduce a unique new training system that helps all your managers avoid expensive miscues. If you have not identified your critical needs, and how to screen for them, you’ll […]

New FMLA regulations explained

A special issue of HR Hero Line, a free weekly e-zine from HR Hero and employment law attorneys who are part of the Employers Counsel Network, took an in-depth look at the new FMLA regulations that go into effect January 16 and what they mean to employers. “10 key changes in new FMLA regulations” by […]

Hot List: New York Times Bestselling Paperback Business Books

The following is a list of the bestselling paperback business books as ranked by the New York Times on November 24. 1. The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression by Amity Shales. A reinterpretation of the New Deal and the Great Depres­sion. 2. The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism by […]

8 ‘Rookie’ Mistakes Hiring Managers Make

Most managers get thrown into hiring and interviewing without much guidance, and it shows—in poor performance and poor retention. Today’s expert shares the top eight mistakes managers make. Bad hires sap time, training resources, and psychic energy, says Susan M. Heathfield, blogging on About.com. Here are her top eight “rookie” mistakes (often made by experienced […]

‘Tis the Season to Hire Seasonal Workers

It’s easy (and common) for retailers to hire temporary seasonal workers to help handle the rush of holiday business. But however temporary their employment might be, they’re still employees with all the potential for employer liability that status entails. It’s important to bear that in mind. Audit your hiring policies and practices with the Employment […]

Holidays and the Workplace

At Thanksgiving time, we thought it would be good to take a look at some of the issues employers face during the holidays — drops in productivity, employees shopping online when they should be working, training seasonal workers, refereeing disagreements about holiday decorations, and, of course, navigating the office party. Lawsuits never take a holiday. […]