A court used lack of Family and Medical Leave Act training to award double damages
When a manager learns that one of her employees is in the hospital for several days, that's almost always enough information for the employer to have an inkling that the employee may need Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave.
But one employer didn't think so. And the penalty for its mistake was costly. Let me explain.
Christmas tree fires account for an average of 200 house fires every year and 37% of those occur in January. I am reminded this time of year that it is time to check the batteries in my smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detector. Early in my career I was part of the team that treated patients after they had been exposed to the colorless and odorless carbon monoxide gas.
As many folks were winding down the year getting ready for the holidays, House and Senate Republicans were busy passing sweeping tax reform, sending the legislation to President Trump last week. He signed the bill, and with it, delivered several wins to HR, employers and employees. Those include:
Getting a new boss and coworkers can be overwhelming for new HR professionals – and seasoned ones too. There are certain expectations and emotions people feel when they land that job and over time they are either met or found elsewhere. In your organization, while you might not have direct contact with your boss on a day to day basis, it is still important that you both learn certain things about each other, professionally and personally.
As more companies hire remote workers, they have likely come across one of the more vexing Form I-9 compliance issues—how to verify a remote employee's work authorization documents within the required three-day deadline?
I am not just being figurative, I am being literal. HR folks need to update their wardrobes. Let’s be leaders not laggards in corporate fashion and personal branding.
Lifestyle-management programs can help people with, or at risk of developing, Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes, characterized by high blood sugar and insulin resistance, and linked to unhealthy diets and a lack of regular exercise, is increasing among U.S. adults. That translates into high costs for employers—more than $20 billion annually due to unplanned, missed days of work.
As I sit here in subzero windy temperatures in Chicago; I am thinking back on my Thanksgiving vacation where we went on a Caribbean cruise in which I paid close attention to the crew working on board. It reminded me of my time in the Navy, and while admittingly I didn’t spend as much time on a ship as others, living and working on a ship can teach you much about teamwork that we might not experience in the corporate world.
Trust and getting along is everything
Reverse mentoring is part of a business continuity plan.
That's how Avery M. Blank, J.D., principal and owner of Avery Blank Consulting in Philadelphia, looks at it.
"It's about survival," she said during a panel discussion, "Reverse Mentoring: New Voices, New Visions," on Oct. 19.
Bringing job descriptions to life on your resume can be challenging. This article will take the mystery out of the process and give you some strategies and writing plans to guide you as you write those all-important job descriptions. You'll learn about achievement statements that will set you apart from other job seekers and resume formats that best suit your career.
It’s time for HR to catch up with the new realities of employment.
Recently, a CEO posed this question to a colleague of mine who leads HR for a midsize organization: “How can we reduce the attrition occurring throughout the company?” At first blush, that seems like a pretty good question. But many of our views of attrition remain anchored in the past. Consider the following:
Over half the states now have comprehensive medical marijuana laws, and with the proliferation of such laws has come a shift in how courts view workplace drug policies. That means employers may want to update their approach.
Here are some key points for employers, as identified by a panel of attorneys at the recent 11th Annual American Bar Association Labor and Employment Law Conference.
This past week’s power outage at Atlanta’s Hartsfield airport reminded me of the infamous Movie with Steve Martin and John Candy. A holiday classic from 30 yrs. ago. Trying to navigate unforeseen obstacles to get home during the holiday season.
Most of your employees will be traveling somewhere over the next two weeks. Yes, by train, plane, or automobile. Many will be looking to leave a little early, Christmas or New Year’s Eve, as well.
Sexual harassment cuts across all professional industries, as validated by the recent "me too" campaign. Incidents can be found in politics, law, education, corporate and blue-collar America, and Hollywood. One need only search Google for "sexual harassment cases" to find the articles: there are cases against prominent law firms, financial institutions, tech companies and even a yoga instructor.
Steve Gutzler has me thinking about my 17 percent and now, you will also thank Steve for thinking about your 17 percent moments.
On December 13, @shrmnextchat chatted with special guest Vice President of Customer Success and Chief Evangelist at Crowded.com Steve Levy (@LevyRecruits) about Is HR Ready for the New Era of Talent Acquisition.
If you missed this informative chat, you can see the tweets here:
This video was shared, post my Gratitude Challenge last month.
An important reminder to look and listen for the reminders of the gift of today.
Take a moment to stop and reflect on this day, and possibly re-set your day.
Before you break out your moves dancing or take the next swig of eggnog, remember this: What seems funny in the moment may send you all the way to the courtroom.
I’ve compiled the best holiday party fails - so you don’t turn your good time into an insurance nightmare.
Recruiting is no longer post-and-pray, cost-per-hire, and/or attempting to hire someone at the lowest possible salary (easy, easy—at least I now have your attention). The specialty of talent acquisition (TA) now has its own burgeoning global association, candidate experience now has its own awards and niche conferences now cover topics that didn’t exist as recently as five years ago.
We all know that developing your skills as a human resources professional is important. The challenge is recognizing what skills to develop.
At this year’s Society for Human Resource Management Annual Conference (SHRM) in New Orleans, I ran across some wonderful tools to help with developing HR competencies. These FREE downloadable guides offer suggestions for specific activities that HR pros can do to develop their skills.
Q: What the heck is going on with this rash of sexual harassment stories and all these guys getting fired? Now even a (formerly wholesome) household name like Matt Lauer from the Today show. It makes a nice guy like me want to clam up around women at work in fear that some coworker may take something the wrong way. What’s the best way to avoid being wrongly accused?
For those of you who work in HR, what do you do when you learn that an employee has filed a charge of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act?
If you know me, you know I’m not a sports person. I don’t watch. I don’t follow.
It’s not that I have some strong dislike for sports. It’s just that when I stopped doing them in high school, I lost all interest. I can watch them, if I am at a live event or if I don’t have an alternative. But when I’m listing things I look forward to each week, that isn’t at the top of my list. If you’re like me, then this post is still going to be valuable for you!
We’ve been talking about the skills gap for a little while now, and it’s clear that the gap isn’t closing any time soon. Some of the industries hit the hardest by the skills gap include manufacturing, technology, engineering, and healthcare.
On December 6, @shrmnextchat chatted with special guest Senior Vice President of HR for Indeed Paul Wolfe @pwolfe67 about How to Win the Talent War on Your Own Turf.
If you missed this informative chat, you can see the tweets here:
This week marks the start of my new role at SHRM. My professional journey has included time as an HR strategist and a CEO, so I feel incredibly privileged to have been appointed to lead SHRM as President and CEO, where I can be both.
Kelly Marinelli, SHRM-SCP, explains how HR can make a big difference in the success of a company and in people's lives.
One of the top reasons employees leave organizations is the lack of career development and advancement opportunities.
Johnny C. Taylor on brand recognition, the importance of certification and being a good dad.
When Johnny C. Taylor Jr., SHRM-SCP, was 15, he applied to be on “Teen Wheel of Fortune,” a TV show taped before a live audience in California. Taylor, who lived in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., received a letter from the producers welcoming him to try out if he was in the area.
I look forward to the weekend after Thanksgiving because that is when my family traditionally decorates for Christmas. I’ll hold out every year even though society keeps trying to make the holiday season start earlier and earlier. My favorite part of decorating is putting up lights outside. It’s special because my kids (now adults) always jump in to help. They get geeked about stringing lights, building massive electrical connections and making sure that the coverage is balanced and colorful.
Gone are the days of delighting customers at the expense of employees. Organizations today understand the value of employee happiness and are increasingly looking for ways to attract and retain top talent. This includes delighting employees at every touch point along the way from orientation and beyond.
I imagine that, among the reasons that victims fear complaining about sexual harassment, is that spotlight may shine a little too brightly on them.
“Don’t hand me no lines, and keep your hands to yourself.” Way back in 1986 (that was 31 years ago, can you believe it?), the Georgia Satellites summed it up pretty well. But apparently not everyone was listening.
In the mid 1950’s, an assistant tailor at the Montgomery Fair department store on Dexter Ave in Montgomery, Alabama exhibited a trait shared by today’s Millennial employees - volunteer work outside her “day job.”
