Category: HR Hero Line

HR best practices, employment law tips, news and analysis, Q&As, and lessons learned from the courtroom.

Should you be an HR leader?

by Allison Gusmus Whether you are a salesperson or a CFO, you should be thinking about the people in your organization. You may think, “I’m in sales, why should I care about the people in my organization?” or “I’m the CFO, numbers are my thing, not people,” but you are dead wrong. It’s part of […]

False assumptions, ill-advised questions just a few hiring hazards to avoid

Ever finish interviewing a job candidate and wonder if you’ve asked enough questions—or maybe asked too many? Worse, do you wonder what problematic questions others involved in the hiring process may have asked? The human resources department probably trains managers on the do’s and don’ts of interviewing, but in spite of that training, hiring managers […]

Holiday season and winter weather: employer mini survival kit

by Shawntel Hebert The month of December is here, and depending on your industry, you may find your company in a very busy or fairly slow period. Whether you’re busy or slow, December also brings holiday festivities and the onset of winter weather. In the midst of planning for holiday staffing and preparing for inclement […]

But my employees aren’t unionized! A trap for the unwary

by William J. Evans “But my employees aren’t unionized!” is a frequent exclamation uttered by employers when they learn they’ve been charged with violating their nonunion employees’ Section 7 rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). It’s a surprisingly little-known fact that the NLRA applies equally to union and nonunion workers. Accordingly, nonunion employers […]

Holiday party tips for employers

by Bonnie M. Boryca The end of the year brings various obligations for employers, along with the opportunity to spread holiday cheer to employees, whether it’s through end-of-year bonuses, time off from work, or company-hosted holiday parties. Unfortunately, examples of litigation arising out of holiday parties are not hard to find. Company-sponsored parties frequently lead […]

How to stay off the DOL’s naughty list during the holiday season

by Julie A. Moore Even without the eggnog fog and the distracting visions of sugar plums dancing through everyone’s heads at this time of year, the holidays can be a tricky time for complying with employment laws related to wage and hour and leave issues. Here are some FAQs we typically see from HR professionals […]

Exploring how HR can inspire thankfulness in employees

Flexible schedules, freedom to telecommute, professional development opportunities—those are all things that foster gratitude in the workplace. And as the Thanksgiving holiday finds people across the country pondering what they’re thankful for, human resources professionals can use the occasion to consider how to make organizations the kind of workplaces employees are thankful to work for.  […]

Thanksgiving: More than a day off work for HR

As the Thanksgiving holiday nears, many are pausing to reflect on what they’re thankful for in their personal lives. But the season also can be a time for people to consider what they appreciate about their work lives.  What should human resources professionals be thankful for? For starters, innovation that has brought about an elevation […]

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Employers in limbo as government entities differ on meaning of laws

by Burton J. Fishman When the U.S. Supreme Court opened its new term on October 2, 2017, the legal world was knocked off its axis. In a rarely seen occurrence, the solicitor general, speaking on behalf of the United States, and the General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) took opposing positions on […]

Who’s lying? Avoiding retaliation claims can be tricky

It’s tough to make employment decisions when you can’t be confident that the facts are known. And facts are often hard to figure out with absolute certainty. Recently, a group of attorneys focusing on employment matters tackled a question from an employer about how to handle an employee who accused his manager of disability discrimination […]