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Employee Relations

Warn managers: Avoid assumptions about pregnant employees’ limits

11/01/2004
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) says you can’t fire, demote or discipline a pregnant employee simply because of her condition. Take that one step further by reminding supervisors that they also …

Handle sticky-fingered employees with kid gloves

11/01/2004
Issue: HR must walk a legal tightrope when employees are suspected of in-house theft. Risk: A bungled theft investigation increases your organization’s …

You can ban outsiders from ADA accommodation talks

10/01/2004
When you’re trying to work out job accommodations with disabled employees, they may ask to bring others into the discussion. Must you allow this? No, according …

Free workplace-violence training

10/01/2004
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has released a 27-minute training video that offers practical ways for businesses to identify …

Notify ‘key employee’ right away if denying reinstatement to job

10/01/2004
Employees who take leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) are usually guaranteed reinstatement to their jobs. But one key exception exists: You can designate a class of highly …

Create an IM policy to improve productivity, data security

10/01/2004
Issue: Instant messaging, or IM, has become the communication tool of choice in many companies. Risk: Too many employees use IM for unauthorized …

Water-cooler politics: Limit trouble, but allow free speech

10/01/2004
John Kerry and George Bush aren’t the only people embroiled in political debates this month. So are some of your employees. And, with the country at war …

Rid absence policy of risky doublespeak

10/01/2004
Re-examine your absence policy, paying special attention to identify clauses that attach varying conditions on whom the policy applies to and when it applies.
Plaintiffs’ attorneys and courts will poke …

Keep an open mind in investigations; juries will punish ‘kangaroo courts’

10/01/2004
Keep an open mind in investigations;
juries will punish ‘kangaroo courts’
When investigating a sexual harassment complaint, don’t rush to judgment, and don’t allow supervisors to sidestep any steps …

Stop managers from using bullying as ‘motivation’

10/01/2004
Your organization counts on its supervisors to motivate employees. But that doesn’t give supervisors free rein to use whatever tactics necessary. As the following case proves, you have the right, and, …