HR Soapbox

Dumb Idea of the Year Award: ‘Maternity Projection’ Charts for Female Staff

January 17, 2014
Employment law can be confusing. But at what point does a manager actually think it’s legally wise to make a chart predicting the pregnancies of his female employees? That’s what happened in a recent case. Step inside and learn from their mistakes … 

Close Shave: Is it Legal to Set a No-Beard Policy for Male Staff?

November 1, 2013

Anyone watching the Sasquatch convention baseball playoffs this past month noticed that most of the Boston Red Sox players looked like they hadn’t shaved since Spring Training. The Sox rode their unkempt culture all the way to a World Series title.  While some employers make take a liking to such beard bonding in the workplace, others demand a clean-shaven culture. So can your organization set a no-beard policy for its male employees? …

Terminations: 6 biggest mistakes

April 12, 2013

First impressions are important. But when it comes to preventing employment lawsuits, it’s typically the last impression that employees have at work that matters most. “This is why 90% of people come to our office. It’s the way they’re treated on the way out the door,” said noted plaintiffs’ attorney, Randy Freking, of Freking & Betz in Cincinnati, during last week’s LEAP conference.

As Freking puts it, a lot of juries seem to live by the motto of “If it seems unfair, there must be something there.” Here are the most common errors he sees employers making in the termiantion process …

THE NEW I-9 FORM

March 8, 2013
The change of the calendar to 2017 carries with it a new paperwork duty for all employers—trash your old version of the I-9 (the Employment Eligibility Verification form) and start using the new version.

Watercooler Politics: Can You Discipline ‘Overly Political’ Workers?

December 22, 2011

While the Jan. 3 Iowa caucuses feel like the end of a long campaign season, it’s really just the beginning of a heated political year … one that could spill over into your workplace. Here are some tips on handling political activity in your workplace and employees’ political advocacy outside of work …

Preventing ‘cubicle rage’: 6 ways to calm angry employees

May 31, 2011
HR professionals and managers are at the front lines when dealing with angry employees. You typically have to deal with their raw rage. So, how can you handle angry employees’ complaints without adding more stress to your day or opening the organization to legal liability?