• The HR Specialist - Print Newsletter
  • HR Specialist: Employment Law
  • The HR Weekly

HR Management

Religious accommodations: Know when to say ‘Yes’ or ‘No’

05/01/2006

Employers need to keep their eye on a growing trend: a groundswell of support for more freedom to practice religion in the workplace. And support for the movement is coming from some unexpected quarters: the U.S. Supreme Court and a bipartisan coalition of U.S. senators …

How Long to Tolerate a ‘Disappearing’ Employee?

05/01/2006

Q. We’re a small business with eight employees. One employee frequently takes off for six to eight weeks with medical problems. She’s done this each year for the past three years. It’s a huge burden because very few people have her training, so we can’t hire a temp. How long do we have to allow her to disappear for months at a time? —M.S., Ohio

Can you search employee lockers, purses, desks?

05/01/2006

Q. Can we open an employee’s personal things, like her locker, purse or desk drawer, if we suspect her of stealing? —A.G., Connecticut

Do you need a music policy for the ‘iPod generation’?

05/01/2006

The advent of MP3 players, satellite radio and Internet-based music makes it easy to rock and roll at work. Such distractions can reduce employee productivity and even create create legal risks. Establish a music/noise policy before it becomes a problem …

Managers’ actions top list of employee pet peeves

05/01/2006

Ringing cell phones can be annoying, but people responding to a new Randstad survey say their biggest workplace frustrations relate to the way that they’re managed. Topping the list: being spoken to in condescending tones …

Workplace abuse trickles down from the top

05/01/2006

Supervisors engage in more abuse of their staffers when they believe the overall organization makes unfair decisions, according to a new study in Personnel Psychology …

Trim health insurance costs by identifying duplicate coverage

05/01/2006

If you’re not doing so already, take steps to discourage employees and dependents from holding duplicate health coverage …

It’s your duty, not just workers,’ to suggest accommodation ideas

04/01/2006

When a disabled employee requests accommodation to help him or her perform the job’s essential functions, don’t just knock the ball back into the employee’s court by saying, "What do you want us to do?" It’s up to you to actively help look for solutions …

Small Employers: Introduce the ’15-Employee Threshold’ Defense Early

04/01/2006

The federal job anti-discrimination law (Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act) applies to employers with 15 or more employees. So, if you have fewer than 15 workers, you may think you’re automatically immune from such suits. Not so fast, says a new Supreme Court ruling …

Don’t Let Healthy Worker Play the ‘Disabled’ Card; Know Your Rights

04/01/2006

You probably know the type: the employee who stirs the pot of discontent whenever possible. And just when you’re about to levy discipline, the person pulls out the "get out of jail free" card and tells you about some imagined disability that needs accommodation …