Tag: procedures

Make sure employees know the “why” behind your tech policies, says attorney Lisa Guerin. Otherwise, they’ll find workarounds that could confound—or bring down—your systems. Guerin’s tips come from her recently published book, Smart Policies for Workplace Technologies (NOLO, 2009). She says that you must explain the policies you write about technology. If your employees don’t […]

Whether you call it “rightsizing” or a reduction in force (RIF), it’s legally dangerous. Yesterday’s Advisor  gave the first five of attorney Michael Rosen’s nine tips for avoiding lawsuits during RIFs. Today, we have more of his tips, and we introduce a unique resource for small HR departments. (Go here to see tips 1-5.) 6. […]

As the economy stagnates, many employers who were hoping to avoid layoffs must now finally consider them. Today’s expert, attorney Michael Rosen, sorts out the key issues. Rosen, a labor and employment partner with the law firm Foley Hoag LLP in Boston, says that any reduction in force (RIF) must be carefully planned and executed […]

Yesterday’s Advisor covered best practices for dress codes. Today, we continue with uniforms and religious accommodation, and introduce a new audio conference that will answer your specific questions about dress codes. May employers require employees to wear uniforms? In general, employers may require employees to wear uniforms, but employers that do have such a requirement […]

Here comes summer and the worst time of the year for dress code violations. Today’s Advisor takes a look at what you can and can’t do with dress code and appearance policies, courtesy of HR.BLR.com’s “Ask the Expert.” Can dress codes be different for male and female employees? Most of the legal problems relating to […]

One great way to understand the importance of a casually written   e-mail is to think about how the jury will see it, says attorney Allison West. “In court, it will be blown up to the size of New Jersey,” she says. Yesterday’s Advisor presented West’s tips for bulletproof documentation; today we’ll look at more of […]

Employment lawyers aren’t allowed to just say “Document,” says attorney Allison West; they are required to say “Document, document, document.” There’s a good reason for this mantra—documentation is critical. Documentation is what gives you credibility, West says. It’s how you show the world that you did what you say you did. It shows that you […]

In Yesterday’s Advisor, attorney Terry Solomon delved into the issue of Web 2.0 privacy. Today she covers legal dangers associated with online reference checking and video résumés. The main legal pitfall around online reference checking is discrimination, says Solomon. (Solomon and colleague Philip L. Gordon, shareholders in the Littler law firm, gave their suggestions at […]

Employers can’t ignore "the juggernaut" of Web 2.0—it’s in your workplace whether you like it or not, says attorney Terry Solomon. But you can manage it. There’s no question about the increasing expansion of the Internet, social networking, and the Blogosphere, she adds. But should you try to control it, or give in? Solomon and […]

Yesterday’s Advisor covered how to write better e-mails. Today, expert Janis Fisher Chan offers her suggestions for dealing with the sheer volume of e-mail in your inbox every day. In her recent book, E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide, Chan offers the following suggestions: 1. Turn off your computer’s “you’ve got mail” signal. This is […]