Month: April 2009

From the CEA Mailbag: Paying Employees for On-Call Time

The best questions always come from our CEA subscribers—the ones toiling away in the HR trenches. During each month we’ll reprint some of the questions they’ve put to our editors, and the answers we’ve provided. Here’s one that many employers have wondered about:  What are the pay requirements when a non-exempt employee is on-call by […]

‘I Never Knew There Was a Complaint System’

Yesterday’s Advisor  considered harassment complaint systems. Today, we cover who takes complaints, offer a sample complaint form, and discuss one additional key element—training. Who should handle harassment complaints?  The people designated for this task should be people viewed as credible, objective, sensitive, and trustworthy. Note that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says any complaint […]

EEOC Develops Best Practices Against Caregiver Discrimination

On April 22, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) offered employers new guidance and best practices on avoiding discrimination against workers with caregiving responsibilities. The best practices document is available online at www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/caregiver-best-practices.html and illustrates proactive measures employers can take that go beyond federal non-discrimination requirements. It supplements a 2007 EEOC guidance document on unlawful […]

FTC, HHS Propose Rules, Seek Comments on Electronic Health Records

Does your organization offer or plan to offer employees online or electronic personal health records (PHRs)? Can employees enter their personal health information into online programs that help them evaluate and improve their health, such as weight loss applications? If you’ve answered yes or if your organization provides electronic PHR programs to others, you should […]

Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce

Resources for Humans managing editor Celeste Blackburn reviews Natalie Holder-Winfield’s book Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce: New Rules for a New Generation. In the foreword to Recruiting and Retaining a Diverse Workforce, Natalie Holder-Winfield reveals how she left a successful practice with a well-known law firm to join eight other women to create a […]

‘But It Wasn’t a Formal Complaint …’

Many managers think they can ignore sexual harassment until there’s a formal complaint, but that’s a dangerous course. In fact, the opposite is true: Most experts recommend encouraging complaints. “Encourage complaints? Don’t I have enough to deal with without begging for more hassles?”  We hear you, but the bottom line is this: Dealing with complaints […]

For First Time, 22,000 Mounties Can Begin Organizing in 2010

By Sara Parchello The face of unionization in Canada is changing. Although it’s declining in the private sector, it’s increasing in the public sector. A few recent decisions by Canadian courts show this trend. The most recent is a decision involving the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (commonly known as the “Mounties”). On April 6, 2009, […]

‘If You Were a Dessert …’ and Other ‘Great’ Interview Questions

Yesterday’s Advisor focused on correct interview questions. Today, attorneys Sandra Rappaport and Mike Moye tackle more interview challenges, and introduce the key role of job descriptions. Your interview plan should focus on eliciting information about a candidate’s performance and experience, says Rappaport. Use open-ended questions rather than those that simply require a yes or no […]

Hot List: Bestselling “Business and Investing” books on Amazon.com

Amazon.com updates its list of the bestselling books every hour. Here is a snapshot of what is hot right now, this Monday morning, April 20, in the main section of the “Business and Investing” category. 1. Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Eduardo Galeano. Galeano analyzes the […]