Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
by John T. Neighbours In 2000, John Sweeney, then-president of the AFL-CIO, declared that unions were going to “organize, organize, organize.” A few years later, a group of unions led by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and its president, Andy Stern, split off from the AFL-CIO to form an organization called “Change to Win,” […]
By Eowynne Noble Peanuts, gluten, perfumes, smoke, and latex—we all know allergies to these and other substances are on the rise. And workplaces aren’t immune to the problem. More and more employees are suffering from allergies and sensitivities than ever before. To put it in perspective, Health Canada recently reported that up to four percent […]
When is $765 million a bargain? Apparently, when you’re the National Football League. By now most people know that the NFL agreed to pay $765 million last month to settle a lawsuit brought by more than 4,500 players and their families, who alleged that the league concealed what it knew about the dangers of concussion-related […]
HR professionals devote a lot of energy to fostering efficiency, productivity, and employee engagement. But is the effort from HR a waste if office design makes it difficult or impossible for employees to concentrate? Sometimes offices designed with collaboration in mind—large open spaces with few sound-and-sight-killing walls—also invite distraction. So the question becomes how can […]
by Steve Jones Many federal employment laws can apply to the hiring process. Even if you are a small business that may not fall under the rules because of a limited number of employees, it’s always recommended that you follow legally compliant policies from the start. When hiring an employee, you should consider both your […]
The U.S. Department of Labor will finalize new Section 503 regulations Sept. 24, according to the Office of the Federal Register. The rules create several new responsibilities for federal contractors and subcontractors, including a mandate that they aim to have workers with disabilities make up 7 percent of their workforces. If the rules are published […]
By Myriam Robichaud You’re about to hire an employee. But he has his own business and wants to be an independent contractor. That way, he’ll pay less tax. And it’s easy for you too — you will just have to pay his invoices and won’t have to include him in your employee headcount. But wait. […]
No discussion of the film Horrible Bosses is complete without covering Kevin Spacey’s character, David Harken. Although he is arguably the most intimidating and even frightening of the three horrible bosses (two of which I covered in earlier posts, #1 and #2), his workplace conduct gives rise to the lowest litigation value from an employment […]
Over the past few years, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has aggressively challenged the use of credit reports and criminal history checks in hiring decisions, alleging that use of the information results in a discriminatory impact on candidates in protected groups. In 2012, the commission successfully negotiated a $3.13 million prelawsuit settlement of a […]
by Ann Kontner Even though it isn’t a state or federal law requirement, many employers have an employee handbook or at least a few written company policies. Exactly where do those policies come from? The answer to that question is easy—the HR department. But where does HR get the policies that govern the company? The […]