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Policies / Handbooks

Monitor to make sure harassment really has stopped

04/01/2008
It sometimes happens: Production floor or other entry-level employees lacking a—shall we say—sophisticated outlook on life go a little too far. Perhaps they play a practical joke that is offensive to a co-worker. Someone complains, and HR investigates. The culprits apologize, and everything settles down. Is the organization in the clear? …

You must follow no-Fault absenteeism policy to the letter

04/01/2008
Companies often rely on a no-fault absenteeism policy as an objective way to determine who should be terminated for unreliability. As long as the policy doesn’t count time off for an FMLA-protected reason, such policies work well—if you follow your own rules …

Florida employers would be wise to have a computer-Use policy

04/01/2008
It may not be a knife or a gun, but a computer is often a choice weapon when an employee decides to commit a crime. Employers that do not have—or consistently enforce—a computer-use policy may face unintended liability …

Plan ahead for this year’s ‘Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work’ Day

04/01/2008
The fourth Thursday of every April is “Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work” Day, so this year it falls on April 24. To head off requests and confusion about whether or when the kids can come, establish some ground rules …

Drug testing after a workplace accident

04/01/2008
Q. Last week, one of our employees drove a piece of equipment into a shelving unit. The employee caused substantial damage to the equipment and the products on the shelves. He could have seriously injured a co-worker. The employee’s supervisor reported that the employee’s eyes were glassy and bloodshot. Can we require the employee to submit to a drug test? — S.S., White Bear Lake …

Privacy issues and e-Mail monitoring

04/01/2008
Q. We would like to monitor e-mail usage at our workplace. Can we access employee e-mail without violating their rights to privacy? …

At-Will employment and our ability to fire

04/01/2008
Q. We are a small company with fewer than 10 employees. We would like to terminate an employee who is pulling down workplace morale. What are the risks? …

Social media case study: Burt’s Bees boss blogs to beat bad buzz

04/01/2008

When fans of natural cosmetics maker Burt’s Bees learned the company was selling itself to Clorox, a buzz of protest followed, as customers complained the bleach maker was not environmentally friendly. In response, CEO John Replogle went blogging …

How to get managers to enforce a dress code

04/01/2008
A reader of the Forum section of our free HR Weekly e-letter posed this question, “Our managers are responsible for enforcing our dress code, but some of them don’t. What can we do?” Here’s how some HR professionals replied …

Evenly enforce appearance, grooming rules

04/01/2008
For the most part, you are free to set and enforce grooming and dress standards for your employees. But here’s an angle to consider when disciplining colorful employees: You must make sure you apply the rules evenhandedly. Don’t single out anyone who belongs to a protected class for special enforcement of the rules …