Before firing any employee who has filed a harassment complaint, make sure your reasons are solid—and extremely well documented. That means checking to make sure...
Question: “We took a collection to buy gifts for our managers, thanking them for contributing to a celebration they funded out of their own pockets. Only...
Question: “I am thinking about taking a two-day seminar for HR assistants. I have been an administrative assistant for 17 years and recently went back to school...
While cleaning out his attic, a British business leader stumbled upon some notes on leadership from the ’50s. The notes were handed out at Eaton Hall near Chester,...
It’s
smart to set reasonably lofty goals for employees. But is there a danger in
setting those goals too high? One court recently let a jury decide
whether a...
She may look all sweet and spritely, but comedian Tina Fey also happens to possess a Teutonic will. That’s why former "Saturday Night Live" colleague...
With unemployment at its highest level since 1983, many applicants have far more experience and education than the job requires. But be alert: Advise hiring managers to...
As Administrative Professionals Week (April 19-25) approached, we couldn’t help but wonder what crazy things bosses have asked admins to do. So we asked readers of...
It can start as one employee simply venting frustration. Then another joins in. Eventually, morale and productivity take a hit from all the rumor, gossip and negative...
The medical certification process is your most potent weapon for combating potential FMLA fraud. But obtaining a certification is only the first fraud-stopping step....
If, like many employers, you rely on a bonus plan to help retain valued employees and motivate them to work hard, don’t get caught in this common trap: Employees...
Employers may be in for a nasty shock if they assume that an employee who can’t return to work full time after taking FMLA leave doesn’t have the right to...
What’s a manager to do when faced with conflicting accounts of an argument between employees? An important part of that answer is to resolve the conflict quickly,...
A job application disclaimer isn't worth the piece of paper it's written on if it is not clearly written and conspicuously placed. Even a well-written disclaimer...
In her 23 years at Coca-Cola, Mary Minnick was pretty much never satisfied. Maybe her whipsmart approach was too much for the genteel board of the Atlanta-based...
Question: “I sit by a man who is a chain smoker — some days he goes out to smoke six or seven times. He is also a heavy coffee drinker. The combination of...
It’s a common mistake: You might overpay the Social Security tax due to a change in jobs, self-employment or other circumstances. Worst of all, overpayments...
Q. The Department of Labor’s form for the Employer’s Response to Employee Request for Family or Medical Leave (WH-381) inquires whether the worker is a...
The current economic meltdown underscores this reality: We’re never too far from a crisis. Before a crisis causes things to blow up, train your office for first...