Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
In today’s work environment, U.S. employees are experiencing increasing levels of stress and burnout due to longer workweeks, the labor shortage, the return of time-consuming commutes, increased responsibilities post-COVID and other similar issues that can impact mental and physical health. A recent report released by LLC.org ranked the top 30 “Most Stressful Cities to Work […]
In today’s workplace, work-life balance, flexibility, psychological safety, and advocacy for mental health and well-being are all signs of a positive culture. With employee burnout at a record high, organizations are looking for new ways to keep their employees productive, happy, and stress-free. Fortunately, organizations already a tool they can utilize: paid time off (PTO). […]
A common question from employers is whether they can use a “comp-time” system instead of making monetary overtime payments. The answer (unless you are a public-sector employer) is almost always “no.” A company in Asheville found that out the hard way when it was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) for alleged failure […]
Although we all look forward to taking our well-earned vacation time, in reality, taking time off isn’t always easy. In our fast-paced, interconnected world where work can follow you on your smartphone, or even smartwatch, everywhere you go, it can be hard to truly unplug and relax. But balancing your work and home life is […]
In this post-COVID-19 era of the Great Resignation and “quiet quitting,” one of the newest ideas for attracting and retaining employees is one that was usually limited to professors in higher education: the sabbatical.
While most employees take Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave for legitimate qualifying reasons and use it appropriately, we all know about occasions when they abuse the Act. Read on to learn more about how to combat FMLA fraud.
Employee handbooks should be reviewed at least once a year. The arrival of spring 2022 marks a good time to revisit the manuals with counsel and update your policies and practices. Read on to learn about a handful of handbook best practices as well as possible pitfalls you can avoid.
When President Joe Biden recently announced a six-pronged strategy to contain COVID-19’s spread, one of the most notable measures was a vaccination and/or weekly testing mandate affecting employers and employees nationwide. We still don’t know many details, but here are answers to some of the most common questions we’ve received since the mandates were announced. […]
Incredibly, COVID-19 has now affected a third school year. Working parents were previously able to rely on the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) to take leave in the event of school closures and/or remote learning because of COVID-19-related circumstances. As of now, no such leave entitlement exists for the 2021-2022 school year. Employers […]
As the vaccine rollout continues across the United States, employers are figuring out their employees’ needs. Some employers have opted to offer incentives for employees to get vaccinated, noting that having a vaccinated workforce can help reduce risks of COVID spread and absences as a result. Others have taken a hands-off approach and are allowing […]