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Employee Relations

Strong new economic numbers signal upward pressure on wages

03/01/2006

Several important economic indicators released last month suggest that wage growth and a tighter labor market are just around the corner …

Steer Clear of ‘Take It or Leave It’ Early-Retirement Offers

03/01/2006

If you plan to lay off employees, structure early-retirement offers carefully to avoid age-discrimination lawsuits. In particular, avoid making "take-it or leave-it" offers that force employees to choose between resigning with a severance package or being terminated …

Employee Appreciation Day: March 10

02/01/2006

Employers host employee-recognition events throughout the year, but the second Friday in March (March 10 this year) is the official Employee Appreciation Day, according to the Society for Human Resource Management …

Debt by 1,000 Paper Clips: Office-Supply Theft Rises

02/01/2006

Two-thirds of people responding to a Vault.com survey said they’ve taken office supplies from work, and a majority said they don’t consider it stealing …

Set a clear policy on confidential talks with employees

02/01/2006

Should you guarantee employees confidentiality when they voice complaints to you or to supervisors? Blanket promises of confidentiality could blow up in your face; some laws require you to report illegal or unethical conduct …

The 3-Step Method for Giving Clear Instructions

02/01/2006

You may think you’re giving clear instructions, but you lost her back at Step 14a. People want to know three things: 1. What am I supposed to do? 2. By when? 3. In what order? …

EEOC Targeting Cases of Years-Old Discrimination

02/01/2006

Don’t think that an employee who quietly suffers name-calling for years can’t sue. Courts and the EEOC won’t be swayed by your argument that "he put up with it for 20 years, so how bad could it have been?" …

Pregnancy is no joking matter; ‘Prego’ is akin to a racial slur

02/01/2006

If your supervisors think little jokes about pregnancy and childbirth are nothing but harmless banter, set them straight. Use the following case to remind them that singling out pregnant employees is legally dangerous …

Nonunion worker’s pay complaint is protected activity under NLRA

02/01/2006

A new court ruling offers more reason to remind your supervisors to discipline employees based on objective work-based standards. Never punish employees for discussing compensation or job conditions with their co-workers …

Office romance: Don’t ban it; manage it the right way

02/01/2006

Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination based on a person’s sex. When office romances sour, scorned lovers often use this law to allege that their former lover was a sexual harasser …