Human Resources

Before firing anyone, ask yourself the following seven questions. If you answer “Yes” to any, your risk of sparking a lawsuit rises greatly, so contact your HR department before proceeding with a termination. Question Yes No 1. Is the employee over age 40? 2. Is the employee disabled in any way? 3. Has the employee [...]

The Labor Department's beefed-up compliance audits and prosecutions of Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) complaints packed a wallop last year. Total back wages collected for workers in
fiscal 2003 jumped ...

Issue: Firing someone who threatens a co-worker may be worth the risk of being sued for wrongful discharge. Risk: Wrongful-discharge claims versus serious injury or even death: Which would be ...

Employers that are required to complete an OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) must start using a newly revised form Jan. 1.
The form includes several changes, ...

Issue: Make sure you're in the right before punishing people for 'misusing' FMLA leave. Risk: Tons in legal fees defending an arbitrary decision. Action: Make it clear to employees ...

Not every comment about a person's appearance rises to the level of sexual harassment.

Break times and meal times for hourly employees should be used for those purposes, not for work. And you should put that policy in writing.

To the cheers of small business owners, Congress this month created Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), as described on page 1. That adds a new acronym to the already confusing tangle of tax-advantaged health care spending, which includes FSAs, MSAs, HRAs and more.

As the calendar turns to an election year, politics becomes a hot topic. But remember: You can't fire or discipline employees or applicants because of their off-duty political activities and comments.

Do your receipts still display the customer's full credit card number? If so, switch to an updated system or you'll risk violating a new law.