• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

Training

Tactics for tough times: 5 techniques for managing part-time employees

12/16/2008

As U.S. companies struggle to weather the recession, many are cutting back employee hours. In fact, part-timers now make up 5% of the workforce. Using part-timers may make economic sense, but it can give supervisors fits. Here are five ways to get the most out of part-time workers.

Understand, prepare to follow the new revised FMLA regulations

12/09/2008

The long-awaited revised and updated final rules of the U.S. Department of Labor interpreting the FMLA will go into effect on Jan.16. HR specialists should read the new regulations and then review them with an employment attorney. Also, they should promptly develop special training on new rules and procedures for supervisors and employees alike.

HR technology: Shortcuts to find the best vendors, products

12/02/2008

Say your CEO tasks you with cutting HR department costs. You know technology can help slay that cost dragon, but you have no idea where to start. Instead of combing through hundreds of vendor web sites, use these nonbiased resources to search for the right HR tech products.

What should we do? An employee says one of our clients harassed her

11/25/2008

Q. An employee recently complained that one of our clients sexually harassed her. May we be held liable for the client’s action?

Tell bosses: Absolutely no comments on ethnicity

11/25/2008

Here’s another good reason to tell all managers you’ll tolerate absolutely no ethnic, religious or racial comments: Just one or two comments followed by an adverse employment action may be enough to establish a hostile work environment. And those later acts can extend the time the employee has to file his claim.

ADA Amendments Act means changes for employees, employers

11/25/2008

Sweeping new ADA legislation passed earlier this fall will completely change the way employers manage disabled employees. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 overruled four U.S. Supreme Court decisions defining disabilities under the ADA, thereby broadening the definition of disability …

‘Hey, lady! That’s a man’s job!’

11/21/2008

Maybe a long, long time ago, in a far, far away place, folks used to tell women, “Oh, you can’t do that … it’s a man’s job.” Maybe the work was too heavy, muddy or risky? But welcome to 2009, where jobs are no longer classified by gender. Better check to make sure your hiring managers understand that, too!

Workplace violence: Hope for the best but plan for the worst

11/12/2008

It’s important for employers to plan to prevent workplace violence and respond to it if prevention fails. While every employer needs a customized plan that fits its particular workplace, good violence-prevention strategies share common elements.

New ADA amendments law expands employee disability rights

11/06/2008

Effective Jan. 1, 2009, employers with 15 or more employees have a new set of ADA rules to contend with. President Bush signed off on a law significantly amending the ADA in September, greatly changing how employers must handle disabled applicants and employees.

Workplace violence: Recognizing the threats, reducing the danger

10/28/2008

If you’ve ever visited YouTube.com, you may have clicked on videos showing an assortment of office meltdowns. Laptops get smashed, desks are overturned. While some of these are funny to watch, each one probably made you think, “Man, I hope nothing like that ever happens at our office.” Sad to say, it could …