Category: HR Management & Compliance

There are dozens of details to take care of in the day-to-day operation of your department and your company. We give you case studies, news updates, best practices and training tips that keep your organization fully in compliance with ever-changing employment law, and you fully aware of emerging HR trends.

biden

Workplace Issues a Biden Administration May Tackle, Stay Tuned

Today is the day that Joe Biden becomes our 46th president. As Biden is being sworn in, it’s beneficial to look ahead at what his administration’s employment law agenda might look like. Now that Democrats control all three levels of government, employers could be hit with many new laws and regulations in the years ahead.

Yes, You Can Probably Fire Employee Who Raided Capitol

While most employees were settling into the first full workweek of 2021, some traveled to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, January 6, to attend a “Save America Rally.” As everyone knows, the ensuing showdown at the U.S. Capitol led to destruction, deaths, arrests, and, for some individuals, termination from their jobs. Here is a primer on […]

New Year

Some Encouraging Words About Big 2021 Challenge

Several weeks ago, Tony Kessler, senior content manager at BLR®, sent an e-mail asking for perspectives on the year 2020. His note prompted this article. Last year was full of challenges, including racial unrest. Systemic racism became a topic in businesses and organizations all across the country. Even well-meaning diversity training came under attack. Historians […]

productivity

Remote Work and the Productivity Debate

It may seem hard to believe, but it’s been nearly a year since millions of Americans swiftly transitioned from in-office work to remote work. Between the logistical challenges of setting up multiple remote offices for individual teams, the difficulty of providing close supervision, and the lack of opportunities for traditional team meetings, a huge concern […]

HR Works Podcast: Lessons from the Capitol

It was just last Wednesday when an unprecedented attack on the Capitol building captured the attention of the world. I, for one, watched with disbelief as doors were breached, police were overrun, tear gas was used on both attackers and defenders, and when one woman died. It was a grim scene and one that reminds […]

video

Driving the Stress Out of Video Meetings

While Zoom and other virtual meeting tools have been a lifeline for remote workforces, managers should consider reducing them where possible to help lessen unnecessary stress and mental drain.

COVID-19 Immunity Laws No Free Pass for Employers

Employers may be tempted to view new civil immunity laws in many states as providing protection and certainty against coronavirus-related claims. On closer review, however, the new laws’ limited benefits mean you must keep caution and vigilance as top priorities.

CDC

Dissecting CDC’s New, Shorter Quarantine Options

In late 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidance on quarantining: In certain circumstances, individuals potentially exposed to COVID-19 by being in “close contact” with a person who tested positive can take steps to reduce the length of the standard 14-day quarantine period.

PTSD

Managing New Cases of PTSD in the Workplace

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profoundly negative impact on behavioral health in the United States. Early evidence of this includes huge increases in the number of calls to the federal Disaster Distress Hotline and local suicide hotlines; large upturns in the number of prescriptions filled for anxiety, depression, and insomnia; increased alcohol consumption; and […]