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HR Management

All-Electronic HR Files? Your Call if State Law Agrees

12/01/2004

Q. You recently said that I-9 forms can now be stored electronically. To save on office space and filing time, our department is considering scanning and electronically filing all personnel files and documents. Is this OK? —S.S., California

Keep track of your departed all-stars

12/01/2004
If a talented employee resigns from your organization (say, for example, a new mom decides to stay at home), don’t erase that person from your memory. Build a database of competent …

Take the first step toward your 2005 promotion

12/01/2004
Issue: Performing an HR department audit to gauge your organization’s compliance and lawsuit risks.
Benefit: Head off legal action, streamline your HR processes and earn kudos from the boss for …

Managing electronic records: Email purging guidelines

12/01/2004

Smart organizations educate their employees about acceptable email use and follow a policy of regular computer-file purging to keep the company network free of unnecessary data  storage. But what …

Exit interviews: Use them to cut turnover, unveil legal risks

12/01/2004
THE LAW. While you’re not required to conduct exit interviews with departing employees, federal employment laws do govern how you must handle certain information heard during such meetings.
For …

Insist on fluent English only if job requires it

12/01/2004
It’s clear that you can require bank tellers and phone salespeople to speak fluent English. But can you make the same demand of a construction worker or dishwasher?
In many …

You can offer, but not force, light duty as an option for FMLA leave

12/01/2004
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows certain employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave each year. But, as the following case shows, you can …

Offhand gripe to co-worker can trigger retaliation protection

12/01/2004
Make sure you train employees how to lodge work-related complaints with the company. The benefit: A clear complaint procedure provides a defense if employees lodge informal complaints outside of your process. …

Take harassment training seriously; more states mandate it

12/01/2004
Smart organizations have hosted sexual-harassment training for years. But now that California has joined the list of states that mandate such training, your state may be next.
The California law …

‘Tis the season for charity, but beware violating ‘No solicitation’ policy

12/01/2004
It’s common this time of year to receive charitable requests to help schools, the homeless, the needy, etc. The requests may come from outsiders or even among co-workers. Not a problem, …