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HR Management

Making copies of documents won’t replace duty to fill out I-9

11/07/2013
There’s no shortcut for completing the Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form for each new hire, as a Washington state company learned recently.

What should we do about reports that new employee smells of alcohol?

11/06/2013
Q. There have been a few reports from co-workers about a new employee smelling of alcohol, although he shows no sign of intoxication. Can we ask him if he has been drinking on duty?

Beware subtle age-bias peril: Don’t assume older employees are ready to retire

11/05/2013
Employees in this day and age often want or need to keep working despite advancing age. If you force out those workers, you’re asking for trouble.

Your 2016 annual report: Link every HR initiative to financial impact

11/05/2013
Make sure your boss and your boss’s boss know exactly how valuable HR’s contributions were this year.

Is it illegal to tell male employees to shave?

11/05/2013
Private employers have the right to set their own dress and grooming codes. That can include setting limits on employees’ facial hair unless an employee can’t shave because of a documented medical condition or due to a religious requirement.

Online reviews: Warn workers to avoid ‘Astroturfing’

11/04/2013
Make sure employees know that it’s not just bad form to write fake customer reviews about your company online—it could be illegal. New York’s attorney general last month cracked down on 19 companies that created deceptive reviews (a process called “Astroturfing”).

The HR I.Q. Test: November ’13

11/01/2013
Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz …

5 steps you must take to prevent and address sexual harassment

10/31/2013
In 2012, the EEOC received 7,571 complaints from workers alleging they were sexual harassment victims (17.8% of whom were men) and recovered $43 million for har­­assed workers. Don’t let your organization add to those statistics. Take these steps to prevent and address sexual harassment.

Vague or nonexistent harassment policy? In same-sex cases, prepare to pay

10/31/2013
Judges don’t have much patience with employers that don’t understand their obligations to prevent or stop sexual harassment, including same-sex harassment.

Draft severance agreements to prevent future lawsuits

10/30/2013
Have a lawyer draft any release that accompanies a severance payment. If the employee sues and the release was carefully written, the court will probably say it bars suing—and may require repaying severance money before the worker can even try challenging the release’s validity.