The Benefits of Employee Handbook Practices for a Family-Run Business
Does a small business owned and operated by a family need the professional employee handbook management practices used by other small to mid-sized companies? The short answer to that question is "yes," but most family business owners would disagree. After all, we are talking about family, here. Do you really need protection practices like a handbook, safety policy, notification compliance and employment documentation to work with your wife, children, brother or other family members?
Read MoreProtecting Employees Against Identity Theft
Employee identity theft can occur by simply being employed. As an employer, you are responsible for implementing systems and procedures that both allow you to use sensitive employee information efficiently and carefully and protect that information from those who would use it illegally.
Read MoreEmployee Absenteeism Is Best Managed with a Clear Policy
As with all labor management issues, absenteeism can be legally and more easily managed when employers start with a clearly documented policy in their employee handbooks. In most workplaces, employee absenteeism has a direct effect on the bottom line. Productivity can be hindered, so workflow doesn’t move at a required rate, and employers are faced with paying more overtime and possibly hiring temporary workers. The following details are what make an absenteeism policy clear and consistent. State exactly how much absenteeism is allowed before it affects employees’ wages and/or...
Read MoreThe Pros and Cons of Telling Employees That the Business Is Being Sold
In a free-enterprise economy, businesses of all sizes are bought and sold with regularity; it’s a perfectly natural occurrence in a dynamic business environment. Employees, however, don’t typically view the sale of the company for which they work as anything but “natural.” Their reaction is more likely to be stunned, confused and even angry. That leads to a dilemma that many business owners face, especially small-business owners: When should employees be told that a business is being sold? According to one business broker, strict confidentiality is the best strategy....
Read MoreEmployee-Owned Laptops Not Protected Against Discovery by Employers
As employers and employees wrestle with the issue of employees’ rights to privacy in a digital workplace and world, the New Jersey Supreme Court has clearly ruled in favor of the employee in a recent case brought before the judges. Although the ruling cannot be applied in other states, many legal experts expect many other states’ supreme courts to agree with the principle if they are presented with similar cases. In this particular case, client-attorney privilege was the legal issue being disputed. The employer, or plaintiff, used her company-issued laptop to communicate with her...
Read MoreAnother “Left-field” Challenge for HR Professionals and Employers: A No-Scent Policy
It may seem absurd to some that an employee could sue his or her employer about the perfume or other scents a co-worker is wearing, but that is what happened to the City of Detroit. A city employee went to court because she claimed her rights were violated according to the Americans with Disabilities Act, when her health suffered, having been exposed to various personal scents of other workers. She asked the city to implement a no-scent policy or other means to accommodate her chemical sensitivity. When it refused, she sued. The city tried to have the suit dismissed, but when denied, it...
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