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HR Management

Benchmark organization’s health benefits using new online database

04/01/2007

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, has introduced a database of average annual health care costs for workers and employers in major U.S. cities …

Gain Support for HR Initiatives With Split-Sample Testing

04/01/2007

Say you want to implement a new training program for sales reps. But every time you propose a new HR initiative like this, executives question whether it can work or say the company can’t afford it. Next time, take a different approach …

Boosting productivity makes you a true strategic player

04/01/2007

Execs in your organization constantly look for ways to reduce labor costs and improve work force productivity to keep up with competition. Most likely, those bosses don’t ask your advice … and you don’t give it. To start playing a role in improving productivity, take the following steps …

Obtain approval to give out employees’ info

04/01/2007

Q. I’ve just joined a new company, and our HR people give out employees’ information (wage data, demographic info, etc.) to anyone who calls to request it. Is that right? —P.L., Virginia

Don’t tell employee’s new boss about his prior complaints

04/01/2007

If an employee is suffering from performance problems and wants a transfer to another supervisor or position, be careful which details in the person’s history you share with the new manager. That’s especially true if the employee has a history of filing legal complaints …

Preserve records or face jury’s wrath on overtime pay

04/01/2007

If you get wind of a possible lawsuit over unpaid overtime, make sure all your payroll records remain intact and available. Don’t crank up the shredder. If you dispose of related documents, the penalties under Ohio law can be especially harsh …

Michigan Employers Must Post Job-Related Injuries by April 30

04/01/2007

The Michigan Department of Labor is reminding employers that they must post employees’ job-related injuries and illnesses from 2006 …

Failing to track FMLA leave requests erases your right to challenge time off

04/01/2007

It’s crucial to keep meticulous FMLA records, from requests to approvals to return-to-work discussions. If you fail to create a solid paper trail, courts will resolve any questions in the employee’s favor …

How long to retain applications and résumés?

04/01/2007

Q. How long do we have to keep applications and résumés? — L.P., Kansas

If you handle insurance enrollment, be alert to liability for lost, late paperwork

04/01/2007

When employers assume substantial benefit-administration duties, they may be liable when the proper paperwork doesn’t get to where it should. Because federal law imposes a fiduciary obligation on benefit administrators, employers may be sued when they assume the administrator’s role …