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Policies / Handbooks

Lower-level bias can illegally taint firing decision

03/01/2003
When it comes to discrimination affecting your company’s hiring and firing decisions, what you don’t know can hurt you. That’s why it’s important to reiterate …

Fast fix to FLSA error can save you, but ‘correction window’ closes fast

03/01/2003
If you screw up on a Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) pay issue, don’t count on the “window of corrections” to save you. Sure, this Labor Department rule allows you to …

Your safety rules outweigh employee ‘personal appearance’ rights.

03/01/2003
Company dress codes will withstand any legal challenge if they’re gender-neutral and involve a legitimate business reason. Recent example: A county prohibited …

Job-bias claims in 2002 saw biggest one-year jump in decade

03/01/2003
Here’s one more reason to crank up your anti-discrimination training: Job-discrimination complaints filed in 2002 with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)jumped …

Clean up graffiti or risk harassment lawsuit

02/01/2003
For five years, Allen Beach was a marked man at Yellow Freight. Offensive graffiti with his name was scrawled on the walls of dozens of trucks. Some of the milder …

Don’t punish employees for participating in legal probes

02/01/2003
Kimberly Hill, a 10-year employee at the Kentucky Lottery Corp., testified at an unemployment compensation hearing on behalf of a co-worker who alleged discrimination. Soon …

Whistle-blowers gain courage thanks to Time honor

02/01/2003
More than ever, it’s important to keep lines of communication open with employees and to make sure they can air grievances without fear of retaliation. Reason: …

Keep your credibility intact: 12 lessons from the courtroom

02/01/2003
To avoid becoming the target of discrimination lawsuits, you need to protect your credibility as a leader and manager. Reason: It’s one of the top ways plaintiffs’ attorneys …

Performance reviews: Revamp outdated once-a-year drill

02/01/2003
How often do you review each worker? Once a year 66%, Twice a year 19, Quarterly 10, Never 3, As necessary 2. Source: OfficeTeam 2002 survey of 150 companies

Don’t stray from layoff procedures

01/01/2003
A 65-year-old employee was laid off as part of a reduction in force. She claimed her supervisor had made age-related comments, and the company failed to follow its published RIF criteria …