HR Management

BE HEARD Act may signal big employment-law changes

08/19/2024

With polling showing a neck-and-neck race to win the presidential election, employers should start paying attention to what the HR landscape may look like after a new president is sworn in next January. Congressional Democrats have begun introducing bills that spotlight policy priorities that may affect employers.

By the numbers: Workers’ comp claim causes and effects

08/19/2024

The most common workplace accidents account for the most expensive workers’ compensation claims, according to a new report by Travelers, the nation’s largest workers’ comp insurer.

Here’s what the EEOC’s lawyers are focusing on this year

08/12/2024

Despite the looming election and Supreme Court decisions that could eventually curtail the influence of federal agencies, the EEOC continues to push an aggressively pro-employee agenda, and it’s committed to filing lawsuits against employers that violate anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws.

Feel free to ban offensive political memes and comments

08/12/2024

As the election nears, your employees are going to bring some of their political opinions to work. It’s your job as a responsible employer to keep the workplace free of harassment. You can and should train employees to interact civilly with one another, even those with different political views.

Good as the real thing? Verify electronic signatures

08/09/2024

Your employee handbooks and other employment documents may exist only in electronic form. That means acknowledgments testifying that employees have received and read those docs must be “signed” electronically, too. While nearly all jurisdictions recognize the legality of electronic signatures, it’s vital for you to have a system to authenticate that such a signature was really executed by a particular person.

SHRM announces shift to “I&D” and faces community backlash

08/07/2024

In a press release, SHRM declared it would adopt the acronym “I&D” (inclusion and diversity) instead of “IE&D” (inclusion, equity and diversity—also known as DE&I or DEI), effectively removing the explicit mention of equity from its primary framework. The decision has angered many HR professionals.

Beware relying solely on AI to screen job applicants

08/02/2024

Employers looking to hire staff increasingly turn to artificial intelligence programs to help them screen candidates. A recent case shows the perils of automated systems and the inherent risk some pose.

Microlearning: A powerful tool for developing your team

08/02/2024

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, continuous skills development is no longer optional—it’s essential for survival and success. As a manager, part of your job is fostering this growth and change, but traditional training methods may not always yield the desired results. Enter microlearning—a flexible, bite-sized approach to workplace training that could revolutionize how you develop your team’s skills and knowledge.

Metrics: More than numbers and crucial to track

07/31/2024

You need metrics, as this data provides powerful information and information is power. Metrics can show how managers manage, track terminations and employee morale, support decision-making (e.g., having the data to justify a new hire) and identify trends. All of this makes the payroll department a key corporate player.

FMLA, ADA and attendance: Consider health problems before firing for failing to call off

07/29/2024

Ordinarily, employers can require employees to notify their boss if they anticipate having to miss work. But there’s an exception for those times when the employee simply can’t make that call because of their disability or serious health condition. Always double-check and consider the circumstances before making a final discipline or termination decision based on an employee’s failure to call.