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Hiring

If possible, manager who hired should be the same one who fires

03/01/2008

It stands to reason that a manager who thinks enough of an applicant to hire her won’t turn around and fire her a few months later in a fit of discrimination, especially if the applicant belonged to a protected class. That’s why it makes sense to have the same people who made the hiring decision be part of the termination process if the need should arise …

Workers told to ‘Go back and pick cotton’

03/01/2008

Darryl Hall, a black warehouse worker for Detroit Forming Inc., will have his day in court after the Michigan Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s ruling on his race discrimination case. Hall testified that company owner Leigh Rodney told workers at a shift meeting that if they didn’t like the way he ran the company, they could “go back and pick cotton.” …

Warn hiring managers: No reference to age allowed

03/01/2008

It seems like such a simple rule. Never comment on an applicant’s age or other protected characteristics. Remind managers it takes just one stupid comment to provoke a lawsuit. Emphasize that refusing to interview a qualified candidate because of a stated prejudice almost automatically qualifies as an adverse employment action. That makes it almost certain you will lose.

Setting skill and experience minimums can stop lawsuits

03/01/2008
When it comes to hiring and promotion, one of the best things you can do to protect your organization from lawsuits is to clearly explain the qualifications and experience needed before you schedule an interview with a candidate …

Paying candidates for interviews: Folly or the future?

03/01/2008

In many cases, the best candidates for your job openings aren’t in the job market. They’re happily employed elsewhere, and they need a major incentive to show up at your door for an interview. A new start-up job board intends to create that incentive …

The fine art of silence: When saying less can be more

03/01/2008
Anyone who has watched the political debates this year has seen a lot more talking going on than listening. The same thing can happen in the workplace. For various reasons—nervousness, ego, control issues—managers sometimes “overexplain” an issue or fill the silence with unnecessary words …

‘Mini-Meds’ offer inexpensive health care coverage options

03/01/2008

Providing affordable employee health insurance is tough for many small companies and those employing lots of part-time workers. If that sounds like your organization, it may be time to consider offering a “mini-med” plan that covers limited health care expenses at a relatively low cost. Here’s what you need to know …

10 things HR can do to help their companies go ‘green’

03/01/2008

Everywhere you turn, something or someone is being promoted as “environmentally friendly.” U.S. employers are no different; they’re jumping into all kinds of green practices in a bid to improve their public images, boost employee morale/loyalty and potentially cut costs …

Results of this test: Auto industry to pay $1.6 mil

03/01/2008

The courts look unfavorably on literacy tests for positions that don’t directly require writing skills, as seen by a recent U.S. District Court decision for the Southern District of Ohio. The court awarded $1.6 million to 700 black workers who were screened out of apprenticeship programs at Ford Motor Company, Visteon Corp. and Automotive Components Holdings …

No need to accommodate Rx marijuana use

03/01/2008
The California Supreme Court has ruled that an employer doesn’t have to accommodate an employee’s marijuana use even though he had a valid prescription. Employers can and should continue to use post-offer, pre-employment drug tests if having a work force free of impairment is an important safety consideration …