Month: July 2013

When is commuting time compensable work time in California?

Most California employers do not expect to have to pay employees for commuting time. However, there are some important exceptions to this rule. Some of these are fairly straightforward, such as commuting time when the employee is called back in for an emergency. Others are less clear, such as when an employee is driving a […]

Employers must comply with new HIPAA privacy and security regulations

by Gene Magee As if learning the ropes under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) isn’t enough, employers offering health benefits to employees also need to gear up to comply with new Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations that go into effect later this year. This article provides an overview of where the new […]

Part Timers? Go Ahead and Terminate Them

Many managers and supervisors operate under the misguided belief that part-time employees have fewer rights than full-time employees, but that’s not so. In fact, the DOL does not make any distinction between part time and full time. For guidance, we turned to Compensation.BLR.com. What Is Considered ‘Part-Time’ Employment? There is no federal law that defines […]

Ethical Dilemmas in the Workplace: Why Do Some Organizations Stumble?

Ethical dilemmas in the workplace are quite common, and they’re not always easy to answer. The concepts are straightforward, but the challenge is in the execution. Even when organizations have great policies and procedures and follow the laws and regulations, there’s still a high risk of unethical behavior. For example, some employees may not know […]

Creating a drug testing policy in California

Creating a drug testing policy in California is often considered to be critical in ensuring employee safety. However, must comply with both state and federal laws when putting the policy together. How can you establish an effective program that doesn’t cause potential legal headaches down the road?

Train Employees to Cope with the Aftermath of Workplace Violence

The material in today’s Advisor is adapted from BLR’s 10-Minute HR Trainer session, “Coping with the Aftermath of Workplace Violence.” Review Security Procedures Review security procedures and equipment (surveillance cameras, silent alarms, etc.). Discuss any changes made as a result of the incident. If there was a breach of security that allowed the perpetrator into […]

Job Sharing—The Advantages and Disadvantages

Job sharing is a special type of part-time employment in which two or more employees share the duties of a single, full-time position. Job sharers may each work part of a day or work alternate days or weeks. Here’s how it may benefit the employer: Improve recruiting by attracting qualified employees who don’t want to […]

FMLA Medical Certifications: When Can Employer Require a Second Opinion?

FMLA medical certifications can provoke questions if their validity is uncertain. But when can an FMLA medical certification be questioned to the point of requiring a second opinion? Is a manager’s hunch that the employee is lying enough? When Can an Employer Require a Second Opinion on an FMLA Medical Certification? Let’s say an employer […]

Keeping the “I” out of “team”

by Dan Oswald I have the always desirable but elusive teamwork on my mind as I write this. The dictionary defines it this way: “cooperative or coordinated effort on the part of a group of persons acting together as a team or in the interests of a common cause.” There’s a lot in that definition. […]

Dan Pink–To Sell, Make It Personal

In yesterday’s Advisor, best-selling author Dan Pink showed how every manager is a salesperson. Today, more of his tips for influencing others, plus an introduction to the all-HR-in-one website, HR.BLR.com®. Pink’s best-selling titles include Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us and To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others. Pink’s remarks […]