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Policies / Handbooks

FMLA notice rules: Provide quick response to leave request

09/01/2004
THE LAW. Eligible employees who want to take leave covered under the Family and Medical Leave Act (Act) must give you 30-days’ advance notice when the need is foreseeable, such …

When in doubt, print it out: Don’t change policy via e-mail

09/01/2004
Issue: How to notify employees of new employment policies or changes to existing policies. Risk: A new court ruling says that using solely e-mail notification can lead to unwanted legal …

Write concrete terms into your policies; don’t waffle

09/01/2004
Issue: The wording used in your employment policies. Risk: Overly vague language makes it difficult for employees to comply and makes you more vulnerable …

Lay down the law on when staff can take vacation leave

09/01/2004
Issue: Productivity takes a hit when key employees take vacation at key moments. Benefit: You can legally tell employees when they can take …

Investigate harassment, even if victim is hesitant

09/01/2004

Q. We’re afraid that one of our employees may have been subjected to discriminatory behavior. But she hasn’t filed a complaint. What should we do? Do we have an obligation to bring it up and investigate even if she declines? —S.P., Louisiana

Accommodate group prayer if it won’t cause ‘Hardship’

09/01/2004

Q. A group of our employees met during their break to have group prayer. A supervisor complained to our president, who instructed that we should notify employees that they can’t pray on break time. Nor can they pray during lunch unless they leave the building. Some employees are upset. Is this policy legal? —M.S., California

Sniff out suspicious FMLA requests with this 9-step plan

09/01/2004
Issue: Half of all HR professionals say they’ve approved FMLA requests that they believed weren’t legitimate. Risk: Employees who “work” the system to earn …

Should you take on OSHA as a partner?

09/01/2004
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) offers several avenues for employers to establish alliances with the agency. Possible benefits …

New reason to tighten promotion process

08/01/2004
Can employees sue your organization for failing to promote them to jobs they never even applied for? It seems crazy, but it could be true. Courts are increasingly opening a backdoor …

Don’t let office romance poison workplace; third parties can sue

08/01/2004
Legal threats from interoffice romance typically come from harassment claims if the relationship sours. But here comes a new threat: employees who claim a “hostile environment” when favoritism caused by another …