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HR Management

Well, there’s your problem: Not enough idiots!

07/08/2013
It’s smart for a business to keep a loyal cadre of stupid people at work, according to two Swedish researchers. They contend that “functional stupidity” is actually essential to getting things done in plenty of organizations.

Does employee use of DOL ‘timesheet’ app mean we can’t ban cellphones?

07/05/2013
Q. To curb wasted time and keep workers on task, we are banning cellphones at work. Now one of our employees has told us that she has the Department of Labor’s wage-and-hour app on her iPhone. She says she uses it to track her hours worked, and that we are illegally preventing her from using it. Will our ban hold up legally?

Is it legally risky to use facial recognition software?

07/05/2013
Q. Management wants to install “facial recognition” software that clocks in employees by electronically matching the employee’s face to a database. Leaving aside the Big Brother creepiness, are there any legal land mines we should consider before installing this type of technology?

How long must we retain personnel files?

07/05/2013
Q. We are moving to another office and want to take this opportunity to purge outdated or unnecessary documents. How long do we have to keep our personnel files?

Want to offer additional leave for disability? Be sure policy is drafted in your favor

07/05/2013

By now, you no doubt know that instantly firing someone who isn’t ready to return from FMLA leave may land you in legal trouble. Some employers have addressed this situation by crafting a policy that provides some additional leave. If you decide to do that, make sure you get legal help creating the actual policy.

Sudden severance switch raises bias red flags

07/05/2013
Here’s something to consider if you suspect an employee you want to terminate might sue for some form of discrimination. Offering a severance payment conditioned on waiving the right to sue could backfire if that’s not what you usually do.

Reining in absences & tardiness: 7 do’s and don’ts

07/05/2013
Managers can’t instantly say, “Be here or be fired” to an employee struggling with attendance issues. Managers have to work with HR to employ strategies that not only combat absenteeism, but also avoid legal trouble.

What’s the opposite of working from home?

07/05/2013
Working from home may not be the norm at many companies, but almost every employee these days is “homing from work.” A new survey says 93% of us take time out of the workday to handle personal business.

Summer is the time to weigh in with healthy living tips

07/04/2013
More than half of workers (55%) consider themselves overweight, and 41% have gained weight at their present jobs, according to a survey by Careerbuilder.com. Help employees manage their weight and stay healthy this summer by passing along these simple tips:

4 tactics to trigger wellness participation

07/04/2013

The Affordable Care Act will allow employers to offer health insurance discounts to employees who take part in wellness programs. However, it’s not required. Whether you’re considering premium incentives or not, try these tactics to attract workers to your wellness program.