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HR Management

Houston tortilla maker flattened by $106k fine

09/06/2016
La Espiga de Oro, a Houston-area tortilla bakery, faces $106,700 in fines for multiple safety violations following an inspection by OSHA investigators who descended on the plant after receiving tips about unsafe working conditions.

Court: Arbitrators — not judges — should decide validity of arbitration agreements

09/06/2016
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has handed arbitrators the power to decide if arbitration agreements are valid. The appeals court ruled that it was legitimate to ask whether an arbitration agreement applied to an employee’s pre-existing Fair Labor Standards Act claim, but that it was a question best answered not by a judge, but by an arbitrator.

What’s the worst quality a manager can have?

09/06/2016
When asked to reflect on the qualities of their worst boss, employees in a new study by consulting firm Appirio didn’t point to penny pinchers who were cheap with raises and promotions. Instead, they recalled emotionally distant and uncommunicative managers.

Fed contractors must soon disclose past labor violations

09/06/2016
The Obama administration on Aug. 24 released final rules and guidance for implementing the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order, which  requires federal contractors to disclose past labor law violations before they can win new federal business.

Document customer gripes: It helps win lawsuits

09/05/2016
Customers may not always be right. But it’s wise to document their complaints at the time they make them.

Relax! Your arbitration agreement is likely valid

09/04/2016
As long as you get expert legal help creating a valid arbitration agreement, Texas courts will probably enforce it.

The HR I.Q. Test: September ’16

09/01/2016
Here’s your monthly quiz on HR news and trends.

Paycheck to paycheck normal for most workers

08/31/2016
More than three-quarters of workers—78%—are living paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet, and 26% don’t save any money at all.

Sitting is the new standing: Let workers cool their heels

08/29/2016
The California Supreme Court ruled that employers must provide a seat for staff who usually stand during the workday, if the work could reasonably be done while sitting.

3 tips to turn line managers into your best project allies

08/28/2016
When you want to gain approval for a new HR initiative, enlist a network of line-management allies to champion your case. It’s one of the best ways to fast-track your new program—and enhance HR’s stature within your organization.