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Policies / Handbooks

Remind managers: Justify deviations from disciplinary rules

08/05/2008
Handbooks and disciplinary rules help managers mete out consistent and fair discipline. But no handbook or set of rules can cover every possible disciplinary problem, and supervisors need some discretion when deciding what punishment fits the crime. The problem is that any deviation from the rules may be seen as discrimination if an employee who belongs to a protected class perceives that he has been punished more harshly than a co-worker who broke the same rule …

Is ‘at-will’ employment at risk in Colorado? Voters will decide

08/05/2008
Colorado (like nearly every other state) historically has been an “at-will” employment state. That means employers are free to fire an employee, and an employee is free to quit, at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. But this fall, that could all change. Ballot Initiative 76 would amend the state constitution to eliminate at-will employment …

Judge Upholds ‘Guns-at-Work’ Law; Companies Duck and Cover

08/05/2008
A Florida judge has upheld that state’s new "guns-at-work" law that allows employees to keep firearms locked in their cars on company parking lots. But many employers are aggressively looking for ways to keep the weapons off their premises, using special exemptions built into the law. With two other states recently enacting legislation similar to Florida’s (and more poised to consider the issue next year), this is an issue HR needs to monitor.

Can we ban guns in the workplace?

08/04/2008
Q. May an employer prohibit employees who are licensed by the state of Texas to carry a concealed firearm from bringing firearms onto the employer’s property? …

Measure effectiveness to make sure flex plans work for you

08/01/2008
Your organization wouldn’t offer flexible work arrangements like flextime and compressed workweeks if managers didn’t believe the benefits—better employee engagement, recruitment and retention—outweighed the costs. Still, a recent survey by Hewitt Associates found that few organizations have formal and consistent policies in place to manage their flex programs …

Employees have paid time off to volunteer in community

08/01/2008

Daimler Financial Services in Farmington Hills, Mich., not only gives its employees an extra paid day off every year so they can do volunteer work but also helps them find charities in need of help.

The Healthy Families Act: What it will mean for Ohio employers

08/01/2008
As many of our readers are aware, November’s ballot will probably contain a referendum asking Ohio voters to approve the Ohio Healthy Families Act. The proposed legislation would require Ohio employers to provide seven days of paid sick leave annually for most employees. Employers had better be forewarned and forearmed in the event the proposal becomes law …

Attendance policies: Control absenteeism without breaking the law

08/01/2008

For most employees, regular attendance is a key job function. But while you are free to set and enforce attendance rules, you must also comply with key federal laws, including the FMLA and the ADA.

 

Shorts Circuit: Firm Orders Employees to Take Off Pants

08/01/2008
Employees of Richter7, a Salt Lake City-based advertising and public relations agency, received an unusual directive from top management earlier this summer: No long pants allowed! Shorts, skirts, skorts and capris were in fashion for four weeks as part of a companywide push to beat the heat. Richter7’s owners even bought each employee a new pair of shorts.

You must protect customers—Even from off-Duty workers

07/29/2008
If you think your employment law risk for each employee disappears the moment the person walks out your door each night, think again. An important court ruling shows how your organization can be liable even for off-duty employees who loiter near the workplace—and in some cases, even when they’re driving home!