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

Strategic Planning

Look to states, not Congress, for radical health care changes

02/01/2006

Employers and consumers alike have been wrestling with skyrocketing health care costs, with no end in sight. And while Congress has talked much about reforming the system, it’s been spinning its wheels for years. The same can’t be said for state legislatures, where lawmakers are actively passing laws to make coverage more affordable …

Increase your value by helping to spot rising managers

02/01/2006

Your unique vantage point in HR equips you to identify managers with the potential to become company leaders. By sharing your insights with top execs, you’ll help build organizational excellence and make yourself more valuable. Use these tips to alert top execs to possible future leaders they might be missing …

Include retail store clinics in your health care strategy

02/01/2006

More retail superstores are adding low-cost medical clinics to their in-store services. Employers can use these "doc-in-a-box" services for low-cost employee preventive and wellness care. Check to see if a local clinic is opening, then consider this as part of a cost-cutting solution, not a cure …

Unions are revving up: Here’s how to keep them at bay

01/01/2006

Infighting among union groups has the labor movement cranking up its organizing efforts to prove a point. Many employers panic when they become union targets, tripping over costly labor relations rules. Follow these steps to avoid becoming a union target …

Are you wired for field HR or corporate HR?

01/01/2006

Field HR or corporate HR: Neither career path is necessarily better; each has its own challenges and rewards. But there are important differences between the two that influence your career direction. Knowing those distinctions is a key step in any HR job move …

Sharpen your recruiting with new matchmaker sites

12/01/2005
Issue: Some new job boards this year take their cues from dating sites, trying to match employers with applicants.
Benefit/risk: Such sites can eliminate unqualified applicants, but they’re fishing in …

Big changes proposed for ADA accessibility rules

11/01/2005
You may need to make new accommodations for disabled customers and employees if proposed regulations win approval. The Access Board, an independent agency …

Cut health costs by dangling the right opt-out incentives

11/01/2005
Issue: Employee health premiums have jumped 73 percent since 2000 and are predicted to rise 10 percent more in 2006.
Benefit: Offering employees a lump-sum payout or other incentive to …

If bird flu hits U.S. shores, prepare a telework plan

11/01/2005
How will your organization respond if a human bird flu outbreak strikes? A major flu pandemic is possible and now is the best time to prepare for the worst. Advice: Consider …

Pitch your great ideas by brushing off the naysayers

10/01/2005
Issue: Winning over the higher-ups with your ideas is a key component to success.
Risk: “Negative Nellies” in your workplace can kill your best ideas unless you’re prepared to fend …