State minimum wage increases for 2014-2015 (map)
By Susan Prince, JD, Legal Editor HR.BLR.com Employers get ready! Minimum wage increases will affect numerous states across the country during the remainder of 2014 and into 2015.
Month: July 2014
Termination Danger—4 More Sins
Boss: Documentation, schmockumentation; this guy’s a poor performer and I want him gone today. The trouble with this scenario—terminating with no backup evidence of poor performance—is that there is usually documentation that shows good performance. Typically, since the person hasn’t been terminated before, his or her performance reviews read “good” or “satisfactory.” Now, this is […]
Train New Supervisors on These 5 Rules
New supervisors and managers try to do the best job they can, but their good intentions often backfire. Instead, they lay the groundwork for expensive lawsuits. The solution is training, training, and more training, but where do you start? New supervisors are overwhelmed by their new responsibilities. They have to forge new relationships with people […]
Stop Being an HR Terrorist
Yesterday’s Advisor featured consultant Tim Sackett’s What the CEO Wishes HR Would Do. Today, his 6-step program for HR managers. How is HR a terrorist? HR tends to use the law as a hammer, Sackett says. “No you can’t do it; it’s against the law.” A better approach is, “Yes, you can do it, but […]
‘I am appalled’ by SHRM/HRCI Brouhaha (Talk-Back)
Two readers cleverly turned the sample question against SHRM. (See “Back at You” below.) Here are the responses: ****************************************************** I am appalled at these two are having such a dispute. They should find common ground for the benefit of Advancing the Profession. Grow Up! ****************************************************** I have been SPHR-certified for several years and the news […]
10 Sins of Termination (When Managers Beg for Lawsuits)
Here are our 10 sins of termination: Sin #1. Terminating Rashly in a Fit of Anger Boss: That’s the last straw, you’re out of here—and I mean now! There are at least three things wrong with an on-the-spot termination: People don’t make good decisions this way. There are many factors to consider before terminating. Being […]
Are You Training Supervisors to Be Good Bosses?
If your organization has new, or recently promoted, supervisors or managers, see if any of these situations are familiar: “Do you think you might be depressed?” asks the concerned, but untrained, boss. “I didn’t think so,” says the employee, under her breath, “but since you ‘regard me as disabled’ my ADA lawsuit will probably succeed.” […]
Thanks a Lot! Heroic Town Employee Loses Job After Saving Cat’s Life
Back in the good ’ole days, when a cat was stuck in a tree, you called the fire department to have it rescued. Now, you call them and they tell you that it’s not their business anymore! So who do you call? Ghostbusters …? No, that won’t work! How about your local highway superintendent? In […]
What Your CEO Wishes HR Would Do!
“If I had a gun with two bullets, and I were in a room with Hitler, Bin Laden, and Toby, I would shoot Toby twice!” Michael Scott (The Office). That’s about how CEOs view HR, says consultant Tim Sackett. How did we get to this point? Sackett (www.timsackett.com) asks. He says, Check out the graphics […]
The downsides of zero-tolerance policies
by Peter Lowe The concept of zero-tolerance policies is rooted in the criminal justice system, and over the last 20 years, the policies have spilled over into our schools and workplaces. Zero-tolerance policies usually reflect a strong institutional stance on specific types of misconduct (e.g., drugs, theft, and violence) and consistency and severity in punishments. […]