Archives

Yes, You Can Probably Fire Employee Who Raided Capitol

While most employees were settling into the first full workweek of 2021, some traveled to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, January 6, to attend a “Save America Rally.” As everyone knows, the ensuing showdown at the U.S. Capitol led to destruction, deaths, arrests, and, for some individuals, termination from their jobs. Here is a primer on […]

New Year

Some Encouraging Words About Big 2021 Challenge

Several weeks ago, Tony Kessler, senior content manager at BLR®, sent an e-mail asking for perspectives on the year 2020. His note prompted this article. Last year was full of challenges, including racial unrest. Systemic racism became a topic in businesses and organizations all across the country. Even well-meaning diversity training came under attack. Historians […]

U.S. Ranked Most Attractive Market for Employer Investment

Since March 2020, employers around the world have been navigating a changing landscape, shifting from office work to remote work overnight, adjusting IT and cybersecurity measures, and learning what new skills are needed to survive in this new normal.

H1B

DOL Reverts to Lower Wage Requirements After Courts Block H-1B Rule Changes

Courts again recently thwarted the Trump administration’s efforts to change the H-1B rules and increase the wages U.S. employers are required to pay to foreign workers. Twice in December 2020, a federal court order in California and a preliminary injunction in New Jersey stalled abrupt rule changes that would have dramatically altered the H-1B program […]

productivity

Remote Work and the Productivity Debate

It may seem hard to believe, but it’s been nearly a year since millions of Americans swiftly transitioned from in-office work to remote work. Between the logistical challenges of setting up multiple remote offices for individual teams, the difficulty of providing close supervision, and the lack of opportunities for traditional team meetings, a huge concern […]

What the Recent Executive Order Means for the Future of Hiring Federal Job Candidates

The recent Executive Order from the White House focuses on modernizing how the government will assess federal job candidates moving forward. This is an unprecedented shift in government hiring, and now many agencies will be tasked with finding readily available, proven assessment solutions that agencies can implement in a reasonable time period. These assessments need to be […]

Meeting the Challenge of Termination with Sympathy

When I ask HR professionals what their biggest challenge is, terminations are often mentioned. Many organizations look at the end of employment as a solid, immediate, and permanent goodbye. However, that is far from the only way, and today’s guest speaks about her approach. 

gender

COVID-19 Will Continue to Exacerbate Gender Inequality at Work

Earlier this month, National Women’s Law Center reported that since February 2020, women have lost over 5.4 million net jobs and account for 55% of overall net job loss since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Women of color are bearing the brunt of these job losses, with 8.4% of black women and 9.1% of […]