Month: November 2007

HOT LIST: Five Books for the Holidays

Looking for holiday gift ideas? Need a good book to read during your flight home for the holidays? Resources for Humans has you covered with our holiday picks… 1. Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw. Expert biographer David Nasaw provides a captivating biography of one of America’s most famous and successful businessmen and philanthropists. Nasaw takes […]

"I Thought PTO Was Supposed to Be Easy!"

PTO (Paid Time Off) has been plugged as the new, better way to manage time off. Is it? Maybe, but there are pitfalls. Two experts explain how to implement a program that appeals to employees, encourages productivity, and doesn’t violate the law. Vacation time, sick time, personal time—who’s got the time … to keep track […]

The Deposition

LITIGATION VALUE: $200,000 (including Dunder Mifflin’s attorneys fees and deposition costs) Well, it finally happened. An employee has sued Dunder Mifflin for wrongful termination. I’m not usually one to say “I told you so” but, somehow, I just can’t stop myself this morning. While it is probably not illegal to fire someone for getting a […]

Handling Holiday Religious Expression in the Workplace

(Updated August 2009) by Sarah Fuson With Thanksgiving less than a week away, thoughts turn to turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. But Thanksgiving represents more than stuffing ourselves silly and watching football all day. The first Thanksgiving was held in 1621 by the Pilgrims, a group of Puritans who fled England because […]

What Is an Employee’s ‘Duty of Loyalty’?

Samuel Goldwin, the legendary movie producer, was famous for lines like, “A verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.” When he was dealing with employees, one of his favorite sayings was, “I’ll take 50 percent efficiency to get 100 percent loyalty.” What does that have to do with employment law? Loyalty. In the […]

Workplace Antibullying Legislation: Friend or Foe?

By BLR Senior Editor Chris CeplenskiJust My E-pinion Workplace bullying is the hot new area for HR managers, and antibullying legislation is in the air. Does it make sense? Can you fight bullying? A BLR senior editor tackles these questions and more. Bullybusters.org, the website for the National Coordinators of U.S. State Legislative Initiatives to […]

Wellness: A Win-Win … If You Avoid the Legal Pitfalls

Corporate wellness seems like a win-win, and it is, except for a few legal pitfalls. We’ll tell you what to watch for, and share a solution that will help you set up a program that is effective and legal. Yesterday’s Advisor gave examples of wellness programs that are working. Employees are losing weight, eating more […]

Straight Man

HR writer Sarah McAdams reviews the book Straight Man by Ricard Russo. Review highlights real-life business lessons that can be learned from the fictional book. Straight Man: A Novel isn’t your standard business book—hell, it isn’t any kind of business book. But the 1997 novel by Richard Russo (you may know him better for his […]

Thanksgiving: Time to Think about Wellness and Weight Loss?

What’s on your corporate Thanksgiving table? How about a helping of wellness and weight-loss programs? The Advisor looks at some that work. Thanksgiving is traditionally a forget-the-diet day for many of your employees. Maybe that makes this week a great time to consider a wellness program that will help them live healthier lives the other […]

Employment Law Tip: Are You Ready for the Big One?

Just two weeks ago, a temblor measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale rattled San Jose and was felt throughout the reaches of the Bay Area. Fortunately, it didn’t cause any major damage. But the quake was another wake-up call for California residents and businesses about the possibility of a much bigger, destructive quake occurring in […]