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HR Management

What are the rules on personnel files? An employee keeps asking for access

12/09/2010
Q. We have an employee who frequently asks to review his personnel file. How often are we required to allow an employee to review his personnel file? How often do we have to make sure it is up-to-date?

Can we prohibit texting at work based on the Supreme Court’s recent Quon decision?

12/09/2010
Q. What lessons should employers take from the Supreme Court’s decision in City of Ontario v. Quon? That’s the case about the texting police officer. We want to ban personal texting at work.

Can arbitration agreements include clause waiving employees’ statutory claims?

12/09/2010
Q. I am wondering if we can contract with employees to resolve employment-related disputes, including statutory claims, with binding arbitration. Are there any problems with this?

Porn at work is misconduct, even without a rule against it

12/09/2010

Give some employees an inch and they’ll take a mile. They stubbornly insist on pushing the rules and argue that if the handbook doesn’t say something is prohibited, then it must be OK. Fortunately, courts don’t often agree.

Leave disciplinary wiggle room in handbook

12/09/2010

Here’s a tip if you are revising your employee handbook: When it comes to discipline, make sure you give yourself some flexibility to deal with unusual circumstances. For example, if you want to use progressive discipline, be sure to account for the rare situations that may warrant immediate suspension or discharge.

GINA’s effect on wellness programs

12/09/2010
To help you better understand your obligations under the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), we’ve assembled these resources:

Social media: Business booster or time waster?

12/09/2010
A new Accountemps survey asked employers to reveal their greatest concern about employees’ use of social media. Top results: wasting time (51%), behaving unprofessionally (18%), posting company info (11%).

Power up your networking efforts with a 5-point LinkedIn strategy

12/08/2010

What’s the best way to get a job right now? Networking, according to a recent survey of HR execs by Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The best (and easiest) way to nurture your online network is through LinkedIn, the one social networking site you can’t ignore if you’re a professional. Here’s how to best use the web site:

The future of introductions: ‘Bump’ vs. business cards

12/08/2010

More than 20 million people have downloaded Bump, an application that allows people to bump their smartphones together to exchange contact information. But that doesn’t mean the end of business cards.

Make 2011 the year of comp & benefits strategy

12/07/2010
Much of your work as a compensation and benefits professional involves putting out fires and dealing with day-to-day tasks. But don’t let the details get you down! Start the new year by resolving to think strategically. Use this planning guide as a road map for 2011.