• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

HR Management

Workplace lexicon: acc

10/11/2013
According to National Public Radio blogger Elise Hu, an acc in an email is even worse than the dreaded but invisible bcc because it is a “passive-aggressive move that blindsides the original party.”

Does Minnesota’s smoking ban law include employees’ use of ‘e-cigarettes’?

10/10/2013
Q. We have a no-smoking policy that complies with Minnesota’s smoking ban. A number of employees have asked if our policy applies to electronic cigarettes or “e-cigarettes.” We are not sure what to tell them. Must we ban the use of the e-cigarettes in the workplace? Are we allowed to if we want to?

4-point checklist clarifies open enrollment

10/10/2013
With key pieces of health care reform going into effect, employers that offer health benefits have even more to consider when implementing this year’s open enrollment. Make the most of your annual benefits sign-up by following this checklist.

The NLRB invalidates employer’s confidentiality rule

10/10/2013
Employers have long believed that they could restrict access to information about wages and benefits so employees couldn’t discuss pay rates, raises and so on. If that’s the case at your workplace, check with your attorney. The prohibition may run afoul of the NLRA, which covers the right to unionize.

Develop foolproof plan for taking uncertainty out of ambiguous resignations

10/10/2013
Not sure what to do when it seems as if an employee is going to quit, but she doesn’t explicitly say so? Seek clarification. If you get none, tell her you assume her silence is tantamount to a resignation.

Why not click? Maybe this Nigerian email is legit!

10/10/2013
Nearly one in five white-collar employees polled (19%) admit they have opened a suspicious email at work—and then failed to notify IT that they may have compromised computer security systems.

We suspect domestic abuse: How do we proceed?

10/09/2013
Q. A young employee comes to work often with visible bruises. Last week she had a black eye. She always has a ready excuse. Her husband calls her frequently, sometimes 10 times a day. Several staff have come to me voicing concern that she may be getting abused. Her accuracy level is decreasing and she’s starting to miss work more often. Can I legally approach her and offer resources for battered women?

E-cigarettes: A burning new HR issue

10/08/2013
Sooner or later, one of your employees is going to “power up” an e-cigarette in your workplace. These trendy, battery-powered devices give the user a sense of smoking by inhaling a nicotine mist. So, is this truly considered “smoking” and can you set a company policy?

One more reason not to seek staff’s Facebook content

10/07/2013

There has been a lot of ink spilled out on the practice of employers requiring employees to provide access to their private social media accounts. Employers should avoid this practice because it erodes the trust necessary to build a workable employer/employee relationship. A recent case provides another reason why it’s a bad idea.

Factor aging employees into work safety equation

10/04/2013
Evidence that the workforce is getting older is showing up in unusual ways. For example, some industries have seen a spike in on-the-job injuries that safety experts attribute to aging workers. To lessen those risks, employee benefits consulting firm Lockton offers these tips: