Policies / Handbooks

Want to muzzle all workplace gossip? Use training, not a blanket no-gossip policy

01/30/2014

You may not like the idea of employees grousing to each other in the breakroom about their knucklehead managers or the new health care plan. But don’t try to silence such behavior with a broad no-gossip policy. As this new case shows, you could run afoul of the NLRA.

Sudden flu outbreak requires HR action

01/28/2014

A few months ago, the CDC predicted that influenza wouldn’t be particularly severe this winter. Now it’s clear this flu season is much worse than expected. It’s time to implement plans to keep the flu from shutting down your business. Your plan should address three key concerns:

The EEOC Reporting Process

01/28/2014

HR Law 101: Don’t hesitate to inform employees about their right to report sexual harassment to the EEOC or a state agency. Your failure to provide information about alternatives to internal reporting won’t prevent employees from seeking redress from a government authority …

Wellness Programs

01/27/2014

HR Law 101: Since the 1980s, many employers have adopted the holistic approach to their employees’ well-being. They’ve begun sponsoring activities that encourage workers to improve their health. They see the payoff in higher productivity and lower health care costs …

Fired special needs therapist denied unemployment

01/24/2014

A former special needs therapist has lost her bid for unemployment compensation after a supervisor testified that the therapist told students she needed therapy herself because of the way the students behaved. The incident occurred while the supervisor was observing the class.

Beware boss who undermines anti-harassment rules

01/24/2014

Here’s a novel situation: What do you do if you learn that someone is undermining a manager or HR director’s efforts to stop sexual harassment by enforcing company rules? If you ignore the manager’s complaint, she may sue the company for allowing sexual harassment to flourish.

Progressive Discipline

01/18/2014

HR Law 101: The most reliable way to protect your organization from charges of wrongful discharge is to establish and enforce a system of progressive discipline. Make it clear to all your supervisors that they’re expected to abide by your policy …

File it under ‘Bad HR ideas’

01/17/2014

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition took career planning a bit too far when its HR department created a chart listing every female staff member, her marital status and whether or not she had children. Then HR asked managers to predict if and when each woman might be expected to become pregnant and have to take maternity leave. You’ll never guess what happened.

Constructive Discharge

01/17/2014

HR Law 101: Some supervisors try to skirt the whole issue of firing someone by resorting to constructive discharge. Their logic: If we make an employee’s time at work so intolerable, he or she will choose to resign. That’s an unwise strategy …

Prevent your employee handbook from becoming a binding contract: 2 easy steps

01/15/2014

A few simple mistakes in your employee handbook can turn it into a binding legal contract and destroy your right to terminate employees at-will. Here’s how to avoid that: