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HR Management

Know the right way to request FMLA certification, fitness-for-duty notices

09/06/2013
When employees have a serious health condition that qualifies them for FMLA leave, employers have the right to some basic information. But you have to ask for it in the right way and at the right time.

This is NPR HR: 3 ways to rebuild & rebrand your culture

09/06/2013
Whether we represent a start-up or an organization that’s over 100 years old, HR professionals must stay aware of the ways in which their organization’s culture is changing, says Jeff Perkins, Chief People Officer, National Public Radio.

After hours: 5 rules for regulating employee moonlighting

09/05/2013
With the rise of the gig economy, some of your employees may have started a side hustle to bring in extra income. If an employee’s second job leads to working long hours, exhaustion could lower his or her productivity, and in some cases it could create liability for you.

Can we ban off-premise, lunch-break sports?

09/04/2013
Q. Two employees got into a fight while on their lunch break. They were playing soccer in an open lot off premises and wearing their company uniforms. The vice president reacted by banning employees from playing any sports during their lunch break—on the premises or off … Can the VP dictate what employees can do on unpaid time?

When does a voluntary wellness program become involuntary?

09/03/2013
At what point is the financial incentive to participate in a wellness program or the penalty for nonparticipation so great as to render it involuntary? Per­­haps more to the point, how does the EEOC define that tipping point?

Constant badgering about health, weight may be age discrimination

09/03/2013
Do you have supervisors who are constantly nagging subordinates about their health, weight, condition and inability to keep up with younger employees? That’s a huge age discrimination red flag that demands immediate action.

The HR I.Q. Test: September ’13

09/03/2013
Test your knowledge of recent trends in employment law, comp & benefits and other HR issues with our monthly mini-quiz …

Light-fingered workers keep little scholars supplied

09/02/2013
Back-to-school season often triggers a spike in office supply theft.

When competition might come from within, keep employees honest

08/28/2013
It’s a situation that happens more often than you might think: An em­ployer finds out that one of its em­ployees is preparing to leave and set up her own shop. But is the employer handcuffed, un­able to do anything about the up­start competitor because this employee didn’t sign a noncompe­tition agreement?

Employee represents herself? Be patient

08/28/2013
The best approach when faced with an employee who files her own lawsuit without a lawyer’s help is to exercise patience. In almost all cases, a judge will toss out the case as soon as he or she is convinced there’s nothing there.