1. Focus on what you want to happen, not on how you feel. The emotional response always kicks in first, but the trick is not to act on it.
2. Schedule a meeting to...
Issue: The Staten Island Ferry crash in October raised the issue of when you can investigate employees' prescription use. Risk: You could spark an ADA suit by asking too...
Issue: Court raises threshold for employees to qualify for FMLA leave. Benefit: Workers can take FMLA leave if they have a serious condition causing three consecutive...
Issue: Workplace violence claims about 2 million victims each year. Risk: The resulting injuries and trauma translate to $13.5 billion in medical costs and 1.75 million...
Issue: Personal relationships between employees and their bosses are ripe conditions for legal trouble. Risk: Any form of quid pro quo ("this for that") exchange of...
Issue: Some courts consider agreements, signed or unsigned, to be valid, binding contracts. Risk: A manager's verbal promise could lock your company into legal...
Hammer home safety rules to new hires before they start. Don't expect on-the-job experience to teach them the safety ropes. Reason: New employees suffer the most says a...
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says you must make accommodations to let disabled employees perform the essential functions of their jobs. But regular, on-time...
If employees' on-site amorous actions are making you or their co-workers uncomfortable, don't be afraid to tell the lovebirds to withhold their romance for more private,...
Expect lawmakers in other states to be encouraged by California's landmark passage last month of a bill requiring all but the smallest companies to provide health...
Issue: Paid-time-off (PTO) plans combine sick leave, vacation time and personal days into a single leave-time bank. Benefits: A PTO plan can reduce sick leave abuse and...
You can obtain the best possible results from employment actions simply by performing them on the optimal day of the week, according to outplacement consulting firm...
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave annually for the birth or adoption of a child,...
Issue: A new court ruling makes it more difficult to stop former employees from blitzing your workplace with e-mail messages, including those that criticize ...
Issue: As outsourcing grows and gains popularity, you need to prove your value to the organization. Benefit: Protect your job and build a reputation as a "big-picture"...
Issue: If managers "go public" about employee discipline, it could spark an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit. Risk: Jury awards and damaged employee morale, leading to...
Issue: Invoices from outside attorneys can include expensive mistakes. Risk: Lost money for the company, and lost credibility for you if someone else discovers the...
If your organization must keep track of workplace injuries on the OSHA 300 Form, take note: You are required to include employees' ergonomic-related injuries (such as...
Issue: Even if it employs fewer than 50 people, your organization could be subject to FMLA compliance. Risk: Being affiliated with another organization could mean that,...
