Month: May 2016

Career Development Programs Are on the Rise

Rewarding employees goes above and beyond base salaries, and with that in mind, companies are prioritizing career development more than other alternative rewards, benefits, and bonuses. According to new research, career development program expansion is viewed as a way to engage and retain workers.

Harassment at work: Do victim’s wishes matter?

by Alexandra Meunier When assessing whether behavior constitutes sexual harassment, Canadian decision-makers usually look at the situation objectively. In other words, they don’t typically put much emphasis on subjective elements, such as the perception of the victim. Recently, an arbitrator in Quebec has done just that.

4th Circuit ruling favors transgender student

by Rachael Luzietti After the Norfolk federal district court refused to order the Gloucester County School Board to grant the student’s request, he appealed to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (whose rulings apply to all Virginia employers). Recently, the appeals court reversed the district court’s decision and issued a ruling favorable to the […]

Cooling hot political buttons

During every political campaign, I am reminded of the notion that if we speak about our co-workers or subordinates in the manner in which the American voter speaks about political candidates, we should expect some remediation by our superiors or human resources. For example, if we question the legitimacy of an employee’s birth certificate, criticize […]

Problems with Performance Appraisals

Were you surprised at the title to this article? Performance appraisals are usually discussed with an eye toward all of their various benefits, like improved productivity, keeping employees focused on goals, and aligning employees with the organizational vision. Indeed, there are arguments on both sides of this issue, and clearly both advantages and drawbacks abound. […]

Research shows rewards, recognition programs not one size fits all

Figuring out how to keep employees engaged can keep human resources professionals up at night. Good pay, generous benefits, and various perks contribute to the mix of techniques used to motivate employees. But a simple pat on the back may be the best place to start.  Although employees value pay hikes and prestigious titles, a […]

New Things to Learn About FMLA

By Susan Schoenfeld, JD Just when you thought you’d finished learning all you could about the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) releases some new material. Fortunately, BLR® Senior Legal Editor Susan Schoenfeld, JD, has the facts on the new poster and guidebook.

Getting Over the Hump: Why BLR Was Lucky Enough to Survive

From Dan: As a way to honor the individuals who have taught me critical life lessons about people and business, I’ve invited several to write guest columns to run in this space over the next few weeks. Today’s voice of experience once again is Robert L. Brady, the founder of Business and Legal Resources (BLR®). […]

Getting Over the Hump: Why BLR Was Lucky Enough to Survive

From Dan: As a way to honor the individuals who have taught me critical life lessons about people and business, I’ve invited several to write guest columns to run in this space over the next few weeks. Today’s voice of experience once again is Robert L. Brady, the founder of Business and Legal Resources (BLR®). […]