Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
When an employee files a lawsuit that turns out to be frivolous, the employer can usually recover its own attorney’s fees expended in defending itself in the case. But now, in a blow for employers, a California appeals court has ruled that Exxon Corp. could not recover attorney’s fees it was required to expend to […]
We are seeing a need to engage in more intensive monitoring and surveillance of our employees’ tech equipment use. I want to get a new draft policy circulating. What should I include?— Sally E., HR Manager in Sausalito
Our company has decided that it would be beneficial to offer employees the opportunity to work from home. Before we enter into work-at-home arrangements with employees, we want to have a written telecommuting policy in place. What should we cover? —Andrew W., Human Resources Specialist, Santa Cruz Telecommuting can be a cost-effective alternative to […]
We’ve experienced a lot of turnover in the past two years—many employees have decided to quit and move on to other companies. On an employee’s last day, I meet with him or her to go over final paperwork, benefits, COBRA, etc., but I think we should also interview the departing employee to find out why […]
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ruled 3-2 that an employer didn’t violate federal labor relations law by having a policy that barred employees from using the company’s email system for union activities and other non-job-related solicitations. Employers have basic property rights to regulate and restrict the use of company property, including an email […]
Fortunately we haven’t been accused of discriminating against our employees or potential hires. But with all the lawsuits we’ve been reading about lately, we want to be proactive. Do you have any strategies or advice for preventing possible discrimination claims? —Kris R., HR Director, San Jose Discrimination is a big—and often costly—issue faced by […]
iPods and similar portable media devices—such as iPhones, other cell phones, and USB flash drives—have become ubiquitous in our society. And concern is growing in the corporate world that because these devices can be used for much more than just listening to music, employees’ use of them in the workplace could pose a big threat […]
Because of advances in technology, we now have a lot of information about our employees that we never had before. For example, we know where—exactly where—many of our employees are because of the GPS capabilities of their phones and automobiles. Is it an invasion of privacy to ask questions based on that information, e.g., Why […]
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved legislation that would raise the maximum fine for violating the child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Child Protection Act of 2007 (H.R. 2637) would raise from $11,000 to $50,000 the maximum fine for violations that cause the serious injury or death of an employee […]