HR Management

OSHA slaps $158,400 fine on Roselle plumbing contractor

10/26/2011

OSHA has cited A-Absolute Construction, based in Roselle, for numerous violations at a Parsippany worksite. OSHA has had its eye on A-Absolute since 2008 when a trench collapse trapped a worker.

Which TV character does your boss most closely resemble?

10/25/2011

Most compare their bosses to the gruff yet kindly Lou Grant … or the downright evil Mr. Burns.

Be prepared to show you used due diligence to prevent on-the-job subcontractor injuries

10/25/2011

Here’s an important note for companies that use subcontractors to carry out work. The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health can cite your company for on-the-job injuries if it appears you were a controlling employer.

HR ethics on trial: Whose side are you on?

10/24/2011

Sometimes, HR pros go to bat for employees when they think the company is overstepping its legal boundaries or generally not doing “the right thing” for the worker. But what happens when HR sticks its neck out and, in turn, gets it chopped off?

Mandatory flu shots for staff? Use carrot approach, not sticks

10/21/2011

Last flu season led to 100 million lost workdays among U.S. workers. But it’s still not legally wise to require employees get a flu shot.

Outsource staffing to save labor costs, maintain productivity

10/19/2011

Even in an economy that’s running full-tilt, HR and management face pressure to spend less on labor. If you’re hearing a cost-control refrain from the C-Suite, it might be time to dust off alternative staffing models that helped you survive the Great Recession.

Workers required to attend ‘voluntary’ training? Be prepared to pay nonexempt employees

10/18/2011

Do you require or strongly recommend that employees attend training sessions outside their regularly scheduled shifts? If training participants are hourly employees, chances are you will have to pay them for their time. Simply calling the training voluntary isn’t good enough …

How to steer clear of a workplace smackdown (even if you’re not an NFL coach)

10/18/2011

The most talked about moment from last weekend’s NFL games was the near-miss post-game smackdown between San Francisco 49ers Coach Jim Harbaugh and Detroit Lions Coach Jim Schwartz. The odd “fight or flight” incident left lots of football fans chuckling, but it got BusinessManagementDaily.com blogger Scott Eblin thinking: Did it offer conflict-management lessons we could all apply in the workplace? Watch the video and decide for yourself.

Managing the downturn: A 13-step plan to avoid layoffs

10/17/2011

AGM Container Controls was lucky to have a good period of growth during the most recent recession, so it didn’t have to lay off any employees, says CEO Howard Stewart. In fact, AGM hasn’t laid off anyone for 20 years. Stewart has made it official policy to follow a 13-step plan to avoid layoffs in the future:

Catching up to the 21st century: Courts and social media

10/12/2011

There aren’t many published court opinions analyzing the propriety of company policies aimed at guiding employees on appropriate use of social media. However, a recent Minnesota Court of Appeals decision is one of the first in the state to provide such guidance.