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Employee Relations

Older worker too slow? Firing isn’t age bias

04/01/2013
Some older workers hear “slow” and immediately assume that’s code for “old.” But sometimes, slow just means slow.

Carefully document every rule violation to defend against surprise claims

04/01/2013

You never know which fired em­­ployee might sue or for what reason. That’s why you should always carefully document all discipline, up to and including the final reason for discharge. The fact is, a legitimate business reason almost always defeats a discrimination claim.

Consulting firm offers ‘no unwanted travel’

04/01/2013

Slalom Consulting guarantees its employees that all of its clients are local, so they don’t have to travel if they don’t want to. That guarantee draws travel-weary consultants and new grads who don’t want to stray too far from home who, in turn, keep hiring and retention rates high.

Men’s Wearhouse dresses employees for retail success

03/26/2013
Employees of Men’s Wearhouse dress their clients for success, and their employer dresses them. Employees reap $50 in merchandise from the Houston-based men’s clothier for every $500 they spend there.

Build staff buy-in for your internship programs

03/25/2013
It’s no secret that long-term staff often dread the summer onslaught of interns—a generation gap that can sink even the best-designed internship program. Smooth the process by having a talk with the older, wiser managers and co-workers who will interact with interns this summer.

When rude boss spouts off, expect little sympathy from juries

03/21/2013
A supervisor’s foul temper can alienate employees—and wind up costing an employer big bucks.

For employees, Dayton is the happiest place to work

03/13/2013
No offense to its contented residents, but who would have thought? Dayton, Ohio, has the nation’s happiest workers, according to a survey of 36,000 workers by CareerBliss.com.

How to fix a department problem

03/13/2013
If you have to call the entire department on the carpet for an overall problem, don’t let the “defeat” become demotivating. Before you review the negatives of the situation, ask yourself these questions.

5 tips: How to rein in expense account fraud

03/08/2013
The typical organization loses 5% of its revenues to fraud each year, and 16.6% of fraud losses trace back to expense account schemes, according to a report by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners.

Benefits alert: Health insurance exchange notice requirement postponed

03/01/2013
The health care reform law required employers to begin notifying employees on March 1 about the availability of state-based exchanges as an option for buying health insurance. But acknowledging the obvious—that the state exchanges are nowhere near ready to go live—the Department of Labor has temporarily rescinded the notice requirement.