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HR Management

Severe flu season carries employment law concerns

01/22/2013

American businesses are also suffering during this flu season—the worst in dec­­ades. The CDC estimates that seasonal flu outbreaks, on average, cost employers $10.4 billion in direct health care costs and billions more in productivity. But it’s not legally wise to require employees to get a flu shot.

7 mistakes to avoid on LinkedIn

01/21/2013
Many professionals are making a lot of mistakes on LinkedIn, says social media expert Alexandra Gibson of OttoPilot Media. Here are seven mistakes you want to avoid:

Can we set different dress codes for each department?

01/17/2013

Q. We are a retail company with about 200 employees. We have six different departments. The supervisors are not agreeing on an overall dress code. They wondered if there’s any legal risk in having each department make and follow its own dress code. (Everyone works in the same office space.) 

Inside the C-Suite: 10 CEO secrets HR needs to know

01/15/2013

Ever wonder what your CEO is thinking and what he or she wants from you? Sue Meisinger, a consultant and former CEO of SHRM, has sat on both sides of the CEO/HR fence. She shares 10 things your CEO will likely never say to you, but you need to understand.

Combatting ‘cyber-slander’: How to protect your organization

01/14/2013
Complaints from employees, customers and competitors are nothing new. Until recently, if complaints crossed the line from mere opinions to downright lies, companies could threaten a defamation lawsuit. Today, however, companies face a more insidious and growing problem: Internet libel, commonly known as “cyber-slander.”

Why bother with job descriptions? 3 reasons

01/11/2013
Writing job descriptions for all of the positions in your company may sound like a lot of work, especially when they are not required by any law. But there are plenty of legal reasons why you should have them.

How to cope with dope: Marijuana & the Minnesota workplace

01/11/2013
Minnesota employers are stuck in the middle of the battle between state and federal law. The tension may create confusion for employers trying to legally enforce their policies, including drug-free workplace policies.

Do new marijuana laws affect your drug policies?

01/11/2013
Voters in Colorado and Washington state recently approved legalization of marijuana for recreational use, and 17 states have already OK’d medical pot. But take note: Employers—even in those states—can still set strict drug-use policies for their employees.

5 Texas firms ace awards for gay-friendly practices

01/09/2013
Each year the Human Rights Cam­­paign rates Fortune 500 companies on how well they treat lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees. Five Texas firms couldn’t have scored any better, earning perfect 100s.

Disaster averted: Make emergency preparedness part of your job

01/09/2013
Hurricane Sandy … the derecho last June … employers must be prepared for a variety of disaster scenarios. Two very practical matters employers must deal with in the aftermath of a disaster: workplace cleanup and paying workers. Federal law affects both.