Policies / Handbooks

Employers set few limits on off-duty smartphone usage

10/12/2012

Only 21% of employers set formal policies that limit employees’ use of cellphones and tablets during nonworking hours, and 26% have informal policies limiting their use, says a new SHRM survey.

What to do if you suspect intoxication at work

10/10/2012

When you smell alcohol on an employee, or receive reports that an employee smells of alcohol, you need to act fast to protect everyone’s safety. However, it’s also essential to handle the situation prudently. Follow these guidelines.

Ensure policy lets employees report harassment to someone other than boss

10/09/2012

Your sexual harassment policy may not be worth the paper it’s printed on if doesn’t spell out an alternative reporting option for employees who allege they were harassed by their supervisors. You must allow employees to bypass their bosses.

Employee handbooks: Avoid the 12 most common, costly mistakes

10/05/2012

Employment law attorneys point to a dozen common employee handbook mistakes that cause employers their biggest headaches. If you want to make a plaintiff’s attorney salivate, show him or her an employee handbook that involves any of these issues:

Curing absenteeism: A 12-step program

10/05/2012

With the recession easing, employees are feeling secure enough in their jobs to start missing more days at work. Here are a dozen ways to keep employees coming to work as scheduled, reserving sick leave for health problems—not as a catch-all bank of time off.

She’s violating the dress code! Now what?

10/03/2012

Do some of your employees emphasize the “casual” in your business-casual dress code? It’s best for managers and HR to step in early on these situations before they become major distractions or even legal issues. But what exactly should you say?

Clear policy, training: Your best defenses against co-worker harassment lawsuits

10/02/2012

Is your sexual harassment policy up-to-date? If it has been gathering dust and is largely ignored, you are creating possible co-worker sexual harassment liability.

What should we do? Our work requires talking on cellphones while driving

09/26/2012

Q. The animal care officers who work for us spend 80% of their time driving and responding to rescue calls via cellphone. Requiring them to pull off the road while talking on their phones wouldn’t work. Is there another way to limit our liability?

You can’t say that! Or can you? Discussing politics in the workplace

09/26/2012

Election season often increases the volume and vociferousness of political conversations. Widening ideological gulfs, dissected and fueled by pundits, have made politics seem like a contact sport more than ever. While some political activities can be prohibited in the workplace, some actions are protected.

Can we implement a civility code that prohibits employees from name-calling?

09/20/2012

Q. I’d like to institute a civility code that goes beyond the basic racial and sexual slurs to include any name-calling that is demeaning, crude or rude. What do you suggest as punishment?