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Employee Relations

Work-life balance: The times they are a-changin’

02/14/2020
The current trends of work-life balance, and what managers can do to accommodate.

Demonstrate good faith by keeping thorough notes detailing your investigations

02/10/2020
Judges don’t want to second-guess employer decisions. But they do want to see that employers act in good faith when they terminate workers. That makes it essential to document every investigation that might lead to a firing.

When documenting discipline, note all details

02/10/2020
When an employee files a lawsuit alleging discriminatory discipline, she will point to other employees outside her protected class who were treated more leniently. It’s critical for employers to document the details that distinguish one case from another.

Track who made discipline recommendations

02/10/2020
If you leave discipline and termination decisions to specific managers, be sure to track who has input in those decisions. If you don’t conduct a thorough and independent investigation into the underlying reasons, you may end up rubber-stamping a discriminatory recommendation.

Good records: Your defense against retaliation suits

02/04/2020
Thoroughly document workplace misdeeds. For example, investigate and act on charges of deceit. Records showing you did everything by the book can defeat a retaliation lawsuit.

Track when you first considered discipline

02/04/2020
Employees who suspect they are facing a disciplinary action such as termination may think complaining about discrimination or taking protected leave will insulate them from negative consequences. But smart employers start documenting poor performance early on, as well as their preliminary decisions to consider discipline.

Thoroughly document poor performance

01/28/2020
Carefully document everything you do as soon as you start disciplining an employee for poor performance. You may need those records later if the employee claims some kind of discrimination.

Fewer than half have option to work remotely

01/28/2020
Before embracing remote work as an option in your organization, know what you’re getting into. You’ll need to manage three kinds of telecommuting risks: workplace safety, time tracking and compliance with local laws.

Retain all documentation related to discipline

01/28/2020
Require supervisors and managers to preserve all evidence involving recommended discipline. That includes things like video recordings.

Tailor your engagement strategy to each generation

01/23/2020
Employers are wisely shifting their priorities and resources to improving engagement. However, most organizations fail to take generational differences into account.