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Employee Relations

How to make sure request for ADA accommodations blows up: Do nothing

10/03/2008

The ADA requires employers to provide disabled employees with reasonable accommodations if those accommodations allow disabled employees to perform the essential functions of their jobs. Flat-out ignoring an accommodation request is the absolutely wrong thing to do. Instead, carefully consider every request …

ESL classes improve skills on job, in community

10/03/2008

At Cascade Asset Management in Madison, Wis., foreign-born employees take English as a Second Language (ESL) classes on site at no cost. A local literacy network evaluates employees and conducts the classes …

Strickland orders DPS to stop destroying records

10/03/2008

Gov. Ted Strickland has ordered the Ohio Department of Safety to stop destroying records about employee misconduct and discipline. The request came after the Columbus Dispatch sought records concerning the discipline of a state trooper …

Document every pay decision

10/03/2008

When you decide to give employees a pay raise—or deny them one—always document the reason. The key is contemporaneous, logical explanations. Few employees will succeed in proving that your reasonable rationale is really a pretext for some form of discrimination …

Time to pay attention: the next work/life benefit?

10/03/2008

The average worker spends about two hours every day dealing with unnecessary interruptions, which cost businesses $590 billion a year in lost productivity. HR professionals can help solve this problem. In fact, it could be the latest work/life benefit: time to pay attention.

Selling flex to management? Focus on benefits beyond HR

10/03/2008

If you want support from the C-suite for work/life benefits, tout flexible schedules and telework as tools that do more than aid recruiting and retention. In a recent survey, CFOs said that for flexibility to succeed, organizations have to perceive it as more than an employee perk.

Keep careful track of ADA conversations

10/01/2008

Trying to come up with a reasonable accommodation for a disabled employee? Need more information on her limitations before you can look for possible open positions that may allow her to work? Make sure someone takes charge of coordinating the process so nothing falls through the cracks …

Understand New York’s new WARN Act—it’s tougher than federal law

10/01/2008

New amendments to the New York Labor Law now mean New York employers face tougher layoff notification requirements under state law than they do under federal law. The NYWARN Act, which takes effect Feb. 1, 2009, imposes requirements in addition to those mandated by the federal WARN Act …

Remind bosses: They may be personally liable for discrimination under N.Y. law

10/01/2008

Sometimes, it takes a strong argument to get supervisors to pay attention. Want them to make absolutely sure no one is being harassed or discriminated against? Just remind bosses that turning a blind eye to workplace problems may cause them terrible legal and financial problems of their own …

Solid policy, prompt responses to bias complaints can prevent lawsuits

10/01/2008

New York state law prohibits discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation. Employers can protect themselves from needless discrimination lawsuits by introducing a robust anti-discrimination policy and a clear and effective process for resolving complaints. Acting fast is the key …