Employee Relations

The best managers are the best listeners: 4 steps

07/01/2007

Managers spend a good part of their workday listening to other people. But bear in mind, there’s a big difference between “passive” and “active” listening. In many cases, managers are too busy thinking about their response rather than listening to the employee’s full statement. In a business setting, this lack of attention can result in […]

You are required to notify employees who have been exposed to air contaminants

07/01/2007

Q. What are the requirements for eliminating welding fumes? According to recent air contaminant testing, our employees are exposed to fumes that exceed the permissible limit. Michigan OSHA (MIOSHA) has not inspected us. Are we required to notify MIOSHA or the federal OSHA of the test results? Are we required to notify anyone else? …

Court: Constitution protects religious bulletin board messages

07/01/2007

A federal government agency’s policy barring “items of religious preference” from agency bulletin boards is unconstitutional, the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio ruled …

Doing nothing after complaint leads to nothing but liability

07/01/2007

The most direct route to a hostile-work-environment lawsuit is to ignore complaints. Do nothing and your liability builds with each new complaint …

Track discipline companywide to show no double standard

07/01/2007

One of the most common employment law claims is the uneven enforcement of workplace rules. The only foolproof way to counter such lawsuits …

Glowing evaluation doesn’t trump insubordination

07/01/2007

Have you worried about discharging an employee who just got an outstanding evaluation? It’s a legitimate concern, but don’t let it paralyze you …

Think worker is lying about health? Ask before disciplining

07/01/2007

Employees say the darndest things. Take, for example, those who call in sick or are out on disability for conditions you strongly suspect are not quite as serious as they say …

Prior workers’ comp case? Make sure discharge reasons are plausible

07/01/2007

Illinois law protects employees against retaliation for filing workers’ compensation claims. To help your organization avoid needless litigation …

Strange days indeed: Company argues for workers’ comp coverage

07/01/2007

An appeals court ruled that the estate of Miguel Pena, a setting machine operator shot and killed by a fellow employee at Gutmann Leather in Chicago, may proceed with a wrongful death suit …

Uniformity key to investigations that stand up in court

07/01/2007

When it comes to employee complaints and how your organization responds to them, uniformity is the most important factor …