Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by Eric B. Topel Charles “Slip” Shod has been employed by your company for more than two years, during which time you have received repeated complaints from vendors about his performance. In your capacity as a member of human resources, you begin reviewing the other matters on which Slip has been working and determine that […]
Although some parts of the country still feel like summer, this week we officially begin the fall season. The Farmers’ Almanac recently released its winter forecast for 2009-2010 predicting that three-fourths of the United States will experience colder than normal temperatures on average. When temperatures plunge, what can human resources do to reduce energy bills […]
by David Kaufman In April, a Connecticut teenager downloaded the billionth application from Apple’s iTune App Store. An “app” is an application or program that allows a user to play a game, surf the Web better, keep track of caloric intake, or tens of thousands of other things. In just nine months, Apple has created […]
Cheryl Stone, SPHR, reviews Margaret Morford’s book Management Courage: Having the Heart of a Lion. She finds the book a quick read that will be useful to human resources professionals. In her book, Management Courage: Having the Heart of a Lion, Margaret Morford sets out six principles to guide managers through tough workplace decisions. The […]
The new season of The Office starts Thursday. The first episode is entitled “Weight Loss,” and the promo features Michael in some sort of fat suit. I can already see we’re going to have some issues. On the bright side, Michael and the new HR gal Holly are apparently going to continue developing their friendly […]
I would like direction on how to determine additional premium pay for employees with certifications, such as a Certified Public Accountant. Is there a general rule or guidance on determining premium pay? I appreciate your help. — Allison in Sacramento Sometimes premium pay is tied to shift work, temporary assignments in other locations, or […]
A Northern California woman has won a jaw-dropping $6.5 million by convincing a jury that she was passed over for promotion by a supervisor who favored employees belonging to the same religious group as the supervisor. We’ll explain the case and provide pointers for avoiding similar “reverse bias” problems.
by Sarah McAdams When it comes to corporate social responsibility (CSR), HR departments have a particularly crucial role to play. “When you strive to be a more responsible company, you are relying on people to make sure you stay true to your values, and HR’s expertise is people,” explains Marcy Scott Lynn, CSR manager at […]
All our employees sign an at-will acknowledgment when they are hired. Doesn’t that mean I can fire an employee whenever I want, for any reason or no reason? I’m being told that I have to have documentation and justification. If they’re at-will employees, why can’t I just fire them? —Carl B., San Jose
We’ve had a string of sad situations recently that have really tested our bereavement leave policy. We currently offer three days off for the death of an employee’s immediate family member. One situation involved the death of a family member on the East Coast, for which our employee wanted five days of bereavement leave. Another […]