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HR Management

The 7 Most Dangerous Errors in Employee Handbooks

01/28/2008

An employee handbook can be the foundation of employee performance and a shield against lawsuits—or it can be a ticking time bomb that confuses employees and strips away your legal defenses. It all depends on how well it’s written and put to use.

How to Help Managers Deliver the ‘No Raise’ News to Employees

01/22/2008

The most difficult part of a system that withholds merit increases from poor performers is giving the bad news to the employee who hasn’t earned a raise. That can be a scary prospect for managers who don’t like delivering bad news.  That’s where you step in: Help them prepare, so that they don’t cave in to the pressure …

Ready, fire, aim: Grocery clerk stops shoplifter, loses job

01/15/2008

File this one under “no good deed goes unpunished.” Michigan grocery clerk John Schultz says he lost his job after trying to thwart the getaway of an alleged shoplifter. The firing offense? Touching a customer …

What to do when you suspect an employee is stealing from the company

01/08/2008

Few HR dilemmas are as sticky as dealing with an employee accused of stealing from the company. Here’s how to handle the situation with care, making sure your organization doesn’t overstep its bounds and expose itself to liability.

Even ‘Secondhand’ porn can create an illegally hostile environment

01/08/2008

Any presence of pornography in the workplace can spark expensive, reputation-draining lawsuits. You need a policy of zero tolerance: No adult material anywhere, anytime — not on office computers, in e-mails, on videotapes or DVDs.

The dreadful dozen: The 12 worst absence excuses ever

01/08/2008

CareerBuilder.com recently asked 2,929 hiring managers and HR pros to name the lamest excuses they had ever heard for missing work. Who knew America’s work force was so fragile—or creative? Maybe some innovative strategies can stem the tide of absenteeism.

Sample Policy: Computer Usage

01/01/2008
The following sample policy was excerpted from The Book of Company Policies, published by HR Specialist, © 2010. Edit for your organization’s purposes. _____________________________ “Employees have access to one or more forms of electronic media and services (computers, e-mail, telephones, voice-mail, fax machines, external electronic bulletin boards, wire services, on-line services, the Internet and the […]

Sample Policy: Internet Usage

01/01/2008
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IT administrator helped himself to $580,000 worth of data

01/01/2008

William Sullivan, senior database administrator for Certegy Check Services of St. Petersburg, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and fraud in connection with the theft of confidential data on more than 8.4 million customers over a five-year period …

To google or not: Legitimate screening method or privacy breach?

01/01/2008

The popularity of Internet blogs and social networking sites such as MySpace, LinkedIn, Facebook and Friendster is causing confusion and concern for some employers. At a time when it’s easy to search the web for information on just about anyone, what steps should a reasonable employer take to investigate the background of an employee? …