Policies / Handbooks

Cupid in the workplace: You can terminate supervisor for lying about personal relationship

11/28/2011

What if you suspect a supervisor/subordinate relationship, but the two people deny it? You probably can’t do anything more than reiterate your workplace rule against it. If it turns out the supervisor lied, you can certainly terminate him or her—both for breaking the rule and then lying about it.

Can we collect employee cellphones at the door?

11/25/2011

Q. We’ve had it with all the texting and social networking by employees when they’re supposed to be working. Can we just make them check their electronic devices at the door? Telling them to stop when we catch them isn’t working.

Worried about reining in religious tension? Don’t ban all discussion of faith

11/16/2011

Some employers ban discussion of religion at work, believing that talking about faith might constitute harassment or coercion of workers who aren’t members of a majority religious group. But such a prohibition can cause more problems than it solves.

OSHA issues new rules on investigating workplace violence

10/31/2011

OSHA has issued enforcement instructions regarding incidents of workplace violence. Officials will use the directive to decide whether allegations of workplace violence warrant an investigation. It also details methods employers can use to minimize the possibility of workplace violence.

You can discipline for email abuse–just don’t thwart ‘concerted’ or ‘protected’ activity

10/31/2011

As soon as employers started equipping employees with email accounts and a list of company email addresses, things started getting complicated. You can punish employees for many email attack campaigns—as long as you first make sure the content doesn’t qualify as concerted or protected activity.

As phones turn smart, so must your policy: What to include

10/27/2011

A cellphone policy written five years ago may no longer be sufficient. Blame the rise of smartphones. Their multifunctionality makes it more important than ever to have a mobile phone policy, not only to minimize the risks of talking on a phone while driving, but for a number of other reasons as well.

Managing the downturn: A 13-step plan to avoid layoffs

10/17/2011

AGM Container Controls was lucky to have a good period of growth during the most recent recession, so it didn’t have to lay off any employees, says CEO Howard Stewart. In fact, AGM hasn’t laid off anyone for 20 years. Stewart has made it official policy to follow a 13-step plan to avoid layoffs in the future:

Catching up to the 21st century: Courts and social media

10/12/2011

There aren’t many published court opinions analyzing the propriety of company policies aimed at guiding employees on appropriate use of social media. However, a recent Minnesota Court of Appeals decision is one of the first in the state to provide such guidance.

Holiday sampler: 4 treats to make HR’s season bright

10/08/2011

The holidays are special, but they’re also an HR headache. Our early gift to you: Advice on everything from planning seasonal celebrations to handling end-of-year scheduling hassles.

Take it on faith: You can accommodate religious diversity

10/07/2011

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees based on their religious beliefs. As America becomes more diverse, employers are facing more issues that concern employee faith, including requests for time off and dress and grooming standards.