Ordinarily, managers who have the authority to make personnel decisions aren’t held personally liable for sexual harassment under Title VII. But that’s not necessarily the case under the New York State Human Rights Law. If you’re an HR professional with the power to make recommendations on hiring applicants or firing employees, make sure you don’t ignore sexual harassment claims that come your way.
Hiring
When hiring employees, negligent hiring practices can doom the process. Learn from your colleagues’ successes – and avoid their pitfalls.
Smart interview questions, well-written job descriptions, and sharp interviewing result in hiring employees that work out well, AND make you look good in the process.
Is your workforce less diverse than the local labor market? You can head off discrimination lawsuits by citing legitimate business needs that justify hiring rules that seem to cause disparities. The best approach: Have a clear business justification for any screening or job criteria you use, even if you don’t expect they will cause a disparate impact on any protected group.
From his early days as a reporter covering wars in Somalia and Burma and genocide in Rwanda, CNN newsman Anderson Cooper often traveled solo, learning to handle perilous situations—and fear. With experience came wisdom and a greater measure of security, but in the beginning, Cooper overcame fear by plunging in. He simply made a fake press pass, borrowed a camera and went to war.
Don’t be surprised if the new college grads who interview for jobs with your organization this summer tell you they’re looking for an employer that gives back to the community. Employee volunteer programs are morphing from a “nice-to-have” benefit to an expectation among employees and recruits—and it’s happening quickly. Here are five tips for starting a volunteer program:
One side effect of the recession: Cash-strapped employees are eating more fast food, exercising less and ignoring their health, studies show. All the more reason to refocus your wellness efforts. Nine lessons from recent studies:
Get ready for increased legal scrutiny and regulations of your background screening and prehire testing procedures. In recent months, the EEOC, Congress and state legislatures have signaled interest in putting new restrictions on employers.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has proposed new drug-screening procedures for employees who operate vehicles as part of their work. Some of the covered jobs: airline pilot, train engineer, mechanic and anyone with a commercial driver’s license. Private employers that test other workers should consider adopting the standard.
Question: “I recently hired an administrative assistant who makes a lot of mistakes. Two months ago, I told her that this was unacceptable and that she must be more vigilant about proofing her work. Everything was fine for a few weeks, but then the errors started again. Yesterday, she mailed an important letter to the wrong address. I sign these letters, but I shouldn’t have to proofread them. Now I feel that I have to review everything she does. I don’t trust her work, but I can’t afford to lose her. Any suggestions?” — Unhappy Boss
Take time to assess your tax situation. By making a few moves midway through the year, you can cut your 2010 tax bill by hundreds or thousands of dollars. On the other hand, if you wait until the end of the year to seize these tax-saving opportunities, it’s often too late. Here are 10 timely techniques to contemplate.
Before you post a job opening and begin the search process, be sure the job description is accurate and reflects the experience and qualifications you’re looking for in the ideal candidate. Above all, don’t change the description midstream after you’ve begun reviewing candidates.
