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HR Management

Fight unemployment benefits if employee quits because of unsubstantiated safety fears

06/08/2011
An employee who reports a serious safety hazard and stops coming to work after the employer refuses to fix the hazard may collect unemployment benefits. But that’s not true if the employee doesn’t give the employer a chance to remedy the problem and just quits out of fear.

Applicant shortage? Blame North Dakota

06/08/2011

Minnesota employers may be finding fewer qualified applicants to fill their available job openings. The labor shortage isn’t because the state’s economy is suddenly booming again. It’s because employers in neighboring North Dakota are dipping into the Minnesota talent pool.

Hire education: Your step-by-step guide to legal hiring practices

06/07/2011
Employers operate in an increasingly complex legal environment, made all the more difficult by the tough economy. Hiring has emerged as a particular trouble spot. Here are the key liability hot spots you must watch out for in the hiring process.

Hey, boss, call HR! Warn managers: Don’t fix complaints informally

06/07/2011

When supervisors hear someone complaining about sexual or other harassment, they may be tempted to blow it off or tell the co-workers involved to stop it. That’s not good enough. To prevent a successful employee lawsuit, you must impress on first-line supervisors and managers that it’s their responsibility to report any sexual harassment complaint to HR or other appropriate company official.

Now hiring: Brace for today’s skills mismatch

06/07/2011
Just because your organization is ready to hire again doesn’t mean it will be easy to find the right people to fill your available jobs. Here are four realities you’re almost certain to face as you try to fill the vacancies in your organization:

Bipolar worker making threats: Accommodate or terminate?

06/07/2011

In the past few months, several Holly­wood celebrities—including Cath­erine Zeta-Jones and Demi Lovato—have publicly announced they suffer from bipolar disorder, a mental illness defined by high and low mood swings. But what if a bipolar employee ex­­hibits threatening behavior—can you discipline her, or must you accommodate the disability?

Your 10-point checklist to ensure an NLRA-compliant handbook

06/06/2011
A poorly written or overly broad handbook could result in unfair labor practices charges from the National Labor Relations Board. That’s true even if your workforce isn’t unionized. Review your handbook for policies relating to the following 10 “red flags” that attract the NLRB’s attention.

Make work safe for older employees (and everyone else, too)

06/03/2011
As an employer, you want to eliminate accidents. But paying particular attention to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s safety recommendations for older workers should make your workplace safer for everyone.

Keep all medical records confidential! Otherwise, normal lawsuit rules don’t apply

06/03/2011

Employers are used to breathing a sigh of relief when 300 days pass without learning that a former employee has filed a discrimination complaint with the EEOC or the New York State Division of Human Rights. They assume that missing the deadline means the employee won’t be able to sue. Not so fast!

The HR I.Q. Test: June ’11

06/02/2011
Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz.