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Policies / Handbooks

Can a former employee demand that we pay her for unused vacation and sick leave?

07/27/2009

Q. A former employee is demanding pay for her unused vacation and sick leave. Must we pay her?

A matter of policy: Doing 4 things right helps win lawsuits

07/27/2009

It’s a mantra that can’t be repeated too often: Develop a policy, communicate it to your employees, investigate when you learn of possible infractions and, if wrongdoing did occur, punish those who violated the policy. It’s refreshing to report on an employer that did everything right and emerged victorious from court.

Press ‘send’ for liability: The legal risk of misdirected e-mail

07/24/2009

Have you ever felt that punch-to-the-stomach feeling of clicking “Send” and realizing you blasted an e-mail to the wrong person? As the CEO in the following case learned, one misguided e-mail mixed with some poor judgment can stir up a potent legal stew …

Summer scheduling: What changes do you make?

07/24/2009

If you notice that “summer stare” on employees’ faces as they gaze longingly out their office windows, it may be time for a morale-boosting seasonal schedule change. Here are some ideas working for the readers of the HR Specialist Forum:

Set clear, fairly enforced rules on behavior to trump ‘my disability made me do it’

07/24/2009

Some employees with genuine disabilities think they can use their health conditions as excuses to break workplace rules regulating behavior. They can’t, if managers genuinely believe the employee violated the rules, and those rules are clear and equitably enforced.

How can we legally combat tardiness?

07/24/2009

Q. Some of our admin assistants are good employees, but they’re constantly late. What can we do to get them to come to work on time?

Make sure employees understand policy and process for reporting sexual harassment

07/24/2009

Employers can do plenty to stop sexual harassment, but employees have obligations, too. If the company has a process for reporting co-worker sexual harassment, employees must follow it. Otherwise, they lose the right to complain. That’s why you need a sexual harassment policy that gives employees the information they need to come forward.

Train front-desk workers what to do with legal papers

07/24/2009

It happens all the time: An employee sues and the papers show up at the front desk. Unless the employee on duty knows what to do with legal documents, you may lose valuable time preparing a response. Make sure everyone knows exactly where to send legal paperwork.

Company Records: What to Keep, What to Dump

07/21/2009
A records retention schedule ensures that an organization keeps the records it needs for operational, legal, fiscal or historical reasons, and then destroys them when they’re no longer useful. You have to know what you have and how long to keep it—legally and for your own business purposes—before you can establish an efficient records management system.

Fight harassment with ‘no sex talk’ policy

07/20/2009

For years, employers have grappled with what sexual harassment is and what it isn’t. Lost in the debate is the fact that a workplace is just that—a place where work is supposed to be done. Here’s a good way to end the arguments about what is sexual harassment and prevent potential problems down the line: Implement a policy that clearly bans sexual banter.