Category: HR Hero Line

HR best practices, employment law tips, news and analysis, Q&As, and lessons learned from the courtroom.

leadership

Gauging HR’s strategic role: Survey shows progress, but more can be done

That elusive “seat at the table” the human resources profession has been craving for years is now a reality in some circles but still a challenge in others, according to HR professionals responding to a recent survey. So what can HR do to make more progress as a strategic partner working side by side with […]

Take steps to ensure smooth transitions when terminating employees

by Thomas J. Lloyd III One of the most difficult aspects of running a business can be managing the personnel, especially when it comes to terminating employees. Some people say that the three most important things in life are your health, your family, and your job. When the time comes for a business to take […]

benefits

New study finds retention the top goal of employee benefits programs

Employers have many objectives when planning what benefits to offer employees. Certainly, they want their benefits packages to help attract top talent and boost engagement and loyalty among employees. Employers also hope their benefits packages help workers successfully blend work and home life, and they like to offer benefits that will enable employees to participate […]

Looking at strategic alternatives to H-1Bs during H-1B cap season

by Leigh Polk Cole Each year, employers looking to hire H-1B workers for hard-to-fill positions have to focus on preparing H-1B petitions for the April 1 H-1B lottery deadline. All you can do is hope for success in the lottery, which in recent years has led to H-1B approval in fewer than half the cases […]

quit

In search of answers to HR’s age-old question: Why do people quit?

Human resource professionals know turnover creates problems. It’s expensive and time-consuming to recruit, hire, and train new employees. And it’s often damaging to the organization when institutional knowledge walks out the door. Sometimes the reasons are clear why employees leave, sometimes not so much, but new research from job rating and recruiting marketplace Glassdoor may […]

EEOC issues fair warning to employers in its 2017-21 SEP

by Michael Barnsback In September 2012, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced its 2013-16 Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP). The SEP provided employers a clear road map of the EEOC’s enforcement priorities for the coming years. True to its word, the agency focused its enforcement efforts on the six substantive areas identified in the SEP. […]

Getting medical excuse policies right: Know what kind of note you can require

Determining when an employee’s medical condition requires time off from work can get tricky. No one wants to require a worker too sick to be productive to come to work, but employers also have to be on guard against employees trying to use sick days to squeeze in a little extra vacation time.  Many employers […]

loan

Legal and practical pitfalls of loaning money to employees

by Raanon Gal and Glianny Fagundo Many employers have been faced with a valued employee who is undergoing financial hardship asking for a pay advance or loan to help him get back on his feet. Employers are often tempted to give an employee a loan or pay advance because it seems like the right thing […]

Tough talks for tough situations at work: How to keep calm, get success

Maybe an employee’s performance has gone downhill or someone’s prickly personality is making coworkers miserable. Or maybe a personal hygiene problem requires action. Any number of situations that land in HR’s lap can trigger the need for a difficult conversation. No pat set of instructions exists since each situation is unique, but keeping a few […]

Federal agencies help HR pros avoid antitrust violations in hiring, compensation

by Howard Fetner The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued guidance for HR professionals on how to avoid running afoul of antitrust laws when making hiring and compensation decisions.   Background Antitrust laws are often enforced against individuals or entities that engage in actions that tend to […]