HR Management

State requests worker aid, passes stimulus bills

12/24/2008

Gov. Jon Corzine joined the governors of Connecticut and New York to request a $48 million grant for displaced financial workers from U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao.

Feds issue new I-9 form: Start using it by Feb. 2

12/18/2008

U.S. employers must begin using a revised version of the I-9 Form starting Feb. 2. Employers that use the current edition of the I-9 (dated 06/05/2007) after Feb. 2 may be subject to fines.

As economy falls, résumé fraud and in-house theft rise

12/18/2008

Raise your skepticism level a few notches—and tell supervisors to do the same. Experts say the sinking economy is leading to desperation from both employees and applicants.

Tactics for tough times: 5 techniques for managing part-time employees

12/16/2008

As U.S. companies struggle to weather the recession, many are cutting back employee hours. In fact, part-timers now make up 5% of the workforce. Using part-timers may make economic sense, but it can give supervisors fits. Here are five ways to get the most out of part-time workers.

RIF or no RIF: 8 alternatives to consider before laying off staff

12/15/2008

If your organization isn’t already planning or implementing measures to cut labor costs, it may soon have to. News that the United States has been in a recession since December 2007 suggests that HR professionals should prepare to reduce the labor burden—if only as a contingency plan.

Reiterate your drug policies in wake of Prop 1 passage

12/12/2008

How Michigan’s new Medical Marijuana Act will affect employers has been hotly debated. Proposal 1, approved by voters in the November 2008 election, removed state-level penalties for registered patients who use or possess marijuana.

Four companies cited for worker injury

12/12/2008

The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) fined four companies roughly $40,000 apiece for an accident last year while the Durant Hotel in Flint was being demolished.

Formal contract not necessary for employee to bring wage claim under IWPCA

12/11/2008

Under the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act, employees can sue their employers if they believe they are owed money, including promised commissions and the like. The law doesn’t require that the money owed be promised in a binding, written contract.

Coal mine strikes back at MSHA

12/11/2008

The American Coal Company has filed a lawsuit against the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), claiming that recent inspections at its Galatia Mining Complex violated federal law and MSHA’s own regulations.

Act fast to handle initial harassment claims

12/09/2008

The HR office is often the first stop an employee makes before filing a lawsuit alleging supervisor harassment. How you handle the initial complaint can mean the difference between stopping a problem before it gets out of hand and losing a lawsuit.