Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Scott Evans On June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a pair of decisions favorable to the gay rights movement. In United States v. Windsor, the Court ruled that same-sex married couples are entitled to federal benefits, and by declining to decide a California case, the Court effectively allowed same-sex marriage in the state. […]
by Mark Jeffries Those of us in HR and the field of employment law sometimes feel like we’re being force-fed a veritable alphabet soup of federal statutes. We have to mind our p’s and q’s under the FLSA, FMLA, ADA, ADAAA, and ADEA, just to name a few. But there’s a relatively young law that […]
by Roberta Fields Each year, scientific advancements in the field of genetics broaden our understanding of health issues and, specifically, the impact heredity plays on a person’s chances of developing certain medical conditions. Such research has led to more and more genetic tests designed to help people understand their risks for getting cancer, diabetes, heart […]
by Steven T. Collis Do an employer’s criticisms of a transgender employee’s unruly hair, disheveled clothing, poor writing and speaking skills, and negative client interactions support a discrimination claim based on her failure to conform to a gender stereotype? The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado recently said no to that question. However, […]
The information in today’s Advisor is adapted from the Ask the Editor service at hr.blr.com. The training question is, “How do you get uninterested managers to participate in a training session?” Here is how our training expert responded: Provide need-to-know information and create a dynamic learning environment, says Dr. Earl Taylor, a former master trainer […]
Most employers would agree that STEM careers—jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—are on the upswing in both numbers and importance. Most also would agree that there are far more men than women in STEM jobs. A 2011 report from the U.S. Department of Commerce, “Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation,” signals a […]
by Mark I. Schickman I keep waiting for the day that employment discrimination claims disappear. We spend a ton of time training employees to prevent and avoid discriminatory conduct, and the proper behavior is pretty intuitive. So, logically, employment discrimination should have been eradicated, like polio and smallpox. It would be terrible for my business […]
by Robert P. Tinnin, Jr. Q I recently read a newspaper article concerning a lawsuit filed in federal court in Albuquerque by an Intel employee who is suing his employer for race-based harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Coworkers secretly taped a “kick me” sign to his back and then kicked him as others […]
by Tobias S. Piering and Andrew Moriarty What do menstrual cramps, temper tantrums, and getting old have in common? They’re all symptoms of new mental health disorders recognized in the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)―a controversial but widely used authority on mental health diagnoses. New disorders Published by […]
The training information in this issue is adapted from BLR’s audio presentation, Training the Trainer. Guidance Trainees can work with this exercise to begin to plan an actual training session. The trainer of the “train the trainer” session should stress to trainees that the plans they make are not set in stone; however, the exercise […]