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Policies / Handbooks

Q&A: Thanks for the two-Week notice … Now clean out your desk

09/01/2007

Q. If an employee resigns and gives two weeks’ notice, can the employer tell the worker that he or she is not needed for the two weeks and avoid paying the person for that time? …

Do workers read policy changes? Collect proof the right way

09/01/2007

Suppose your organization decides to alter its retirement plan. You shoot out an e-mail about the change, but fail to secure written proof that employees have read and understand the modifications. Three months later, an employee retires based on promises made in the old retirement plan, resulting in lost pension dollars. He sues, saying he never got wind of the retirement-plan change. This true story occurs surprisingly often in U.S. workplaces …

Clear Work Rules—Like a No-Lying Policy—Help Employers Beat Unemployment Comp Claims

09/01/2007

One of the most important moves Pennsylvania employers can make to cut unwarranted unemployment compensation liability is to establish clear work rules. Those rules should include a requirement that all employees act honestly. Explain to all employees that violating the honesty rule is grounds for termination …

Plan now to reduce impact of flu pandemic in the workplace

09/01/2007

It’s a doomsday scenario worthy of a movie: A virus spreads around the globe, killing millions and sending millions more to hospitals. Panic ensues, infrastructure breaks down and commerce comes to a halt. But this isn’t a scriptwriter’s invention. Many scientists believe this nightmare is only a matter of time—when the next influenza pandemic hits. What should businesses do to prepare for a pandemic? Employers must be proactive and consider how they will sustain their operation in truly trying times …

Drug testing: Minimize lawsuit risk with smart policy

09/01/2007

You have the right to demand a drug-free workplace, but employees also have reasonable rights to privacy. That’s why drug testing and substance-abuse prevention programs carry big-time legal risks if they’re not managed properly. Employers can safely administer drug testing before hiring someone, during a fitness-for-duty test and after a preventable accident …

Phone privacy: It’s your property

09/01/2007

Q. Can employers eavesdrop on their employees’ phone conversations at work, or listen to their voicemail messages in the company voicemail system? …

BP to pay $92,000 for 2005 accident that killed 15

09/01/2007

OSHA announced that it has fined BP Products of North America $92,000 for violations at its refinery in Texas City. The citations come as the result of a March 2005 accident that killed 15 people and injured 170 others …

The long and short of it: Do different grooming policies equal discrimination?

09/01/2007

Q. We have a company policy requiring male employees to keep their hair cut short. One worker says we can’t force him to cut his hair because we don’t tell female workers to do the same. Is this true? …

Does grooming policy interfere with religious belief?

09/01/2007

Q. Can we require a job applicant to cut his hair as a condition of employment even if he alleges that his religion forbids him from cutting his hair? …

Dealing with foul-smelling workers: 6 tips for ‘The talk’

08/07/2007

Hosting a termination meeting may be easier than having to tell an employee that he or she has offensive body odor. Here are six tips for handling the issue in your workplace: