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Policies / Handbooks

Don’t write a zero-tolerance violence policy unless you plan to apply it every time

06/07/2010

Many employers have adopted so-called zero-tolerance rules prohibiting any kind of violence at work. But be careful how you enforce the rule. If you ever make exceptions, you’ll be asking for a lawsuit. Instead, terminate violent employees promptly, as soon as you verify what happened.

Updating your policy, but not your handbook

06/03/2010
Q. Our employee handbook says that employees are paid for 40 hours per week as long as they put in at least 38 hours. We recently told employees that, from now on, we pay only for actual hours worked. Do we have to change the handbook, too?

The absent-minded employee: How to get absenteeism under control … legally

05/28/2010
The costs of employee absenteeism—reflected in lost production, overtime and temporary replacements for the absent worker—can add up quickly. The best way to combat the problem is with a clear policy, careful documentation, consistent application of the policy and progressive discipline.

How liable are we for an employee’s accident that occurred while he was on the phone?

05/26/2010
Q. One of our managers was talking on his company cell phone while driving when he struck and injured a pedestrian. Can the pedestrian sue the company?

What factors should I consider before firing a new employee for excessive absences?

05/26/2010
Q. We have a new administrative employee in our medical office who missed 22 days of work in her first nine weeks. She has doctor excuses for illnesses for most of the days, but my front office is a shambles. Can I put her on written warning for excessive absences? Can I terminate her?

7 elements of a social media policy that limits your liability

05/26/2010

Online social networking sites provide a variety of benefits to organizations. They can help you collect industry-based knowledge, reach new customers, build your brand and publicize your company’s name and reputation. But those benefits come with their fair share of legal risks. You need a comprehensive social media policy to guide employees on your expectations about their online behavior.

Include contract disclaimers in your handbook

05/26/2010

If, like most employers, you use an employee handbook to manage the workplace, remember that you must ensure that employees understand that the handbook is not a contract. Do that by clearly stating that employment is at-will and that employees can be fired for any reason or no reason.

Creating drug-free workplace: How to draft a policy, conduct legal tests

05/26/2010

When drug abuse isn’t an obvious problem in the workplace, it’s easy for employers to develop a cavalier attitude about it. That’s not smart. It’s in your best interest to detect employee drug abuse early and root it out immediately. Keeping your workplace drug-free means knowing how to spot the problem and effectively respond to it—without violating employees’ legal rights and creating legal liability.

What should we do? We’ve heard rumors that some employees are downloading porn at work

05/24/2010
Q. All of our employees have Internet access at work. We have heard rumors that several employees have been logging onto pornographic and other inappropriate sites, and have been displaying or disseminating objectionable material to others in the workplace. Even though we have not received a formal complaint, do we have an obligation to address this now?

Big insurance provider named ‘model’ of diversity

05/20/2010
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) focuses on hiring and developing employees with disabilities. The organization was singled out by the U.S. Business Leadership Network as one of three businesses in the country that do an exceptional job when it comes to hiring and retaining employees and accommodating their needs at work. So BCBSM is sharing its best practices with other organizations: