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HR Management

Take advantage of delay on N.J. medical marijuana law

08/25/2010
New Jersey’s new medical marijuana law won’t take effect until next year, a last-minute move that has implications for employers with policies concerning employee drug use. Take advantage of the delay to ensure your drug-abuse policies are aligned with the new law. If an employee can legally use medical marijuana, how will you enforce your legitimate interest in maintaining a workplace where safety isn’t compromised by intoxicated workers?

Is it time to ban swearing in the workplace?

08/25/2010
Should you establish a zero-tolerance ban on swearing in the workplace? It’s probably not realistic and you may set yourself up for discrimination claims if you clamp down on one employee’s slip-up but not another’s. Instead, establish more general rules that say offensive language and other disrespectful conduct are not permitted, and violators will be subjected to the discipline policy.

Move up by focusing on big picture, not just HR

08/25/2010
The most valuable HR professionals in coming years will be those who have an understanding of the business strategy and can contribute to it. “If you work in business, you have to be a businessperson first with a specialty in HR,” says Conrad Venter, global head of HR at Deutsche Bank.

Feds finalize I-9 form rules allowing electronic storage

08/24/2010
DHS has issued final regulations clearing the way for employers to electronically sign and store the I-9 employment eligibility verification forms that must be on file for all employees. Here are the links you need to capitalize on this initiative, which should reduce your paperwork burden.

Health care reform: Mark your calendar with these milestones

08/24/2010
When President Obama signed health care reform legislation in March, the clock started ticking on a series of changes that HR professionals will be dealing with for at least the next eight years. Here’s your timeline of what to expect.

Constant hiring means high-speed, nonstop training

08/24/2010

One of the country’s fastest-growing companies, LTC Financial Partners is looking for 300 new sales agents—and when those jobs are filled, more will open. Because the organization is constantly hiring, it’s also constantly trying to get new employees up to speed. So it created the LTC Insurance Training Institute to get recruits ready to work within five days.

5 tips to avoid liability for benefit plan mistakes

08/24/2010
Anyone with responsibility for health, benefit, disability, severance, education or other benefit plans is a “fiduciary” and can be held personally liable for plan errors under ERISA. Attorney Sherwin Kaplan says employers should take these steps to avoid errors that could subject a fiduciary to liability:

California cities rated among best for working mothers

08/23/2010
Six California metropolitan areas ranked in the top 50 on Forbes magazine’s 2010 list of the nation’s best cities for working mothers. Forbes rated the cities against criteria that considered women’s income, cost of living, availability of pediatricians, safety, employment opportunities and spending on education.

10 ways to motivate employees toward self-empowerment

08/20/2010
Managers and HR pros can’t empower employees, but they can create an environment that motivates them to want to act in an empowered way. Here is a 10-step model for encouraging and motivating employees. It will help them build the confidence they need to empower themselves to make decisions and take risks:

Chicago ranks 21st in best cities for working mothers

08/18/2010

Chicago ranked 21st on Forbes magazine’s latest list of the top 50 U.S. cities for working mothers. Forbes ranked metropolitan areas according to women’s income, cost of living, availability of pediatricians, safety, employment opportunities and spending on education.