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HR Management

Stacks of résumés are no excuse for sloppy hiring practices

03/06/2009

Despite the daily economic lamentations, some employers are still hiring. Those employers may think they are in the catbird seat because they may have hundreds of applicants for each position. But a bonanza of applicants is no excuse for shoddy hiring practices. You must make sure they comply with state and federal laws.

Warn employees of the dangers of dipping into 401(k) funds

03/03/2009

As the economic meltdown worsens, employees facing personal budget crises may go looking for their own financial bailouts—by tapping into 401(k) savings. They may turn to HR pros like you to learn how to take hardship withdrawals or borrow against their investments. There are good reasons to steer them away from treating their retirement nest eggs as rainy-day funds.

Act quickly once you verify harassment

03/03/2009

When an employee has sexually harassed a co-worker, employers can avoid liability by acting fast to fix the situation as soon as they learn about it. General rules: If an employee complains, investigate promptly. If the alleged harasser confesses, immediately take steps to end any further harassment.

HR and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

03/03/2009

Tucked into the massive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 are several provisions affecting HR. But because most require federal agencies to write new implementation rules, predicting how they will play out day-to-day will be like trying to hit a moving target. Bookmark this page to stay up to date on compliance guidance as the government releases it.

Double duty: Regulating moonlighting and following the law

03/03/2009

As the economy heads south, many of your employees have probably considered—or already found—second jobs to supplement their incomes. Most of the time, moonlighting poses no conflict with your organization’s work. But an employee’s second job could lower productivity and morale. It could create liability for you.

Making false sexual harassment complaints

03/03/2009

Q. May an employer include language in its sexual harassment policy imposing discipline on employees who bring false claims of harassment?

Rejection letters under scrutiny: 7 do’s & don’ts

02/26/2009
Mounting layoffs are creating a glut of qualified and aggressive job hunters who are desperate for work. As their frustration grows, more applicants are reading deeper into their rejection letters—sometimes spotting job promises or hints of discrimination that you never intended.

Communication Corner: March ’09

02/26/2009

Halt interruptions by giving your office a makeover … If it’s important, re-re-repeat it … Follolw these 5 steps to becoming a better conversationalist … Help employees prioritize their tasks … Make a good impression with the "Rule of 12/12/12."

Poor worker training cited in case involving heat death

02/26/2009

In 2004, two men were fixing a pump at a plant when one of them complained of being hot and not feeling well. The other man took him to his car and returned to work on the pump. When he checked on the ill man 45 minutes later, he found him slumped over the wheel. He had died.

HR certification rules to get tougher, starting in 2011

02/26/2009

Crack open those books. Starting in 2011, the HR Certification Institute will tighten the eligibility requirements to earn the most popular HR certifications: the PHR, SPHR and GPHR.